Cbc clnivcr^iJv of Cbica»jo 
ILibravics 




GIFT OF 



notlu J^.JjJdlLll^iLuLL. 




THE UIIIVEKSITY OP CHICAGO 
younded by John D, Rockofollor 



THE SIBVXLOiPMSNT 07 THS EDUCATIONAL SYSTXU lU OKLAHOMA 

A BisMrtatlon 
SulHaltted to the Pacultlos 
of th« 
araduate School of Arts and Literature 
in Candidacy for the Degree 

uaater of Arts 
(Department of Education) 



By 

John Fletcher Utollemoyer 



Chicago 

August Convocation 

1^14 



^'S^ 



} 



.-»* 



I 

22 
52 



419146 



lutxiMiuGtion ----- I 

pr«-territorial Period - - 4 

Ttrritorlal Period - - - JO 

dta;i6lxouc. Period - - - - 4d 

Creneral Disouaaion - - • 69 

Concluaion ------ ii^ 

Bil>Xi06rfti)lii' ----- 91 

» « « » • 



TXi imnaxmissi op the sducatzohal syssw ts osumxMk 

lBtro<mctlon « 

A nunibar of •Itawnts »•«& to o<»ablne In making th« 
study or tlio hlAtory of oducatlon in Oklalioma profitalxLe, 
Q^ographieally; the state occupies middle ground 'between the 
north and the south on the one hand^ and the east and the west 
•n the other. These four sections are widely separated as 
regards educational tradiiion* Oklahoma inlierits from all and 
stands ready to give the henefit of her eaqperienoe x,o all 
seetions of the country. Her exporienees in education^ as in 
gSTenasent, proaise to he interesting and valuable. The open* 
hearted, humanitarian motiyee of the south, inclined just 
enou^ toward the tutorial and private school ideal to IM very 
■uch concerned about the individiuQ. child, the coneervative 
•astern elcaent, slow to take up the new, but uo safe ajid re- 
liable in many of the old ideas that a new co\uatry needs; ths 
thrifty north, bent on having the best, but at the ssae tias 
insisting on getting it*i£ money (s worth, finally, the open- 
handed, generous, "hooster spi'it* of the west, which at tines 
overrules the conservatism of the east and the thrift of the 
north and compels the public to expend large bubs for ^he bene- 
fit of an institution whidi appeals to theia as public education 
does:- all these oicnoients are at work building up the school 
system of Oklaliomai a systftn, which may finally combine the 
best traditions litf all sections. Just as the population of ths 
stats is zaads up fron every other state in the Union. 



On* of the moat Interostlng eonalderations in th« 
doToloiMBoat of thla n«« atata has baan tha adueatlen of tha 
Indiana, Approximately one third of all the red men in t;he 
United Statea are located in ^yklahona. Theae are alowly but 
certainly and auoceaafully being analgwaatad with tha white 
race, largely through education, whidbi haa been continiially 
enphaeiaed by Tarioue agenciea, including the ralaaionarlea, 
independent tribal efforts, federal and atate authorities, 
She paaaing of control of education from one agency to an« 
other and situations arising in connection with each change 
are interesting. 

A third element to consider iis the extreme newness of 
the country. Although the Indians came to eastern Olclshflina as 
early as Id;^, the history of the whita man really begins with 
the opening of lQQ$i but twenty-five ^ears ago. Oklahoma has 
been a state only since iiot. i6, 1907. Discouraging educational 
traditions, which so often block the wheels of progress, are 
practically unknown in $his state. Of coiurse, this fact often 
opens the way to the new and untried, and often results in 
tha wrong course being pursued for a time. Hiatakas are to ba 
expected and should cauae ua no particular anxiety. Vhat «a 
are concerned about, is the attitude of the public toimrd 
correcting such wrong tendenclea. Oklaiioma, being so new, la 
being closely scrutinised by othet states, and not without 
severe criticism. The radical nature of the constitution of 
the new atata at once challenged a great deal of political 
opposition, which, of courae, shall concern us only to tha 
extent to which the schools were affected 

proa the maaa of educational legialation then, tribal, 



territorlad and state, congresalonal acts pertaining to eduoa- 
tloa» and the general activity dlepla^^ed by all agenoles In the 
foimdlng of Bchools, lu l>eglna to appear very probable that a 
plan of education la being evolyed, which cooiblnea a great oany 
of the beet element* in our modern conoepti<m of a wen ad* 
ministered state system* just what these elements are, when and 
under what conditions they arose, and an estimate of their 
total value as displayed by present conditions and present 
sentiment, it <hall be the aim of this inrestigatlon to 
determine* 

There are essentially two ixtqportant dates in Oklahesw 
history i "opening day", April 22, 1^89, and •Statehood day", 
HOT, Z6, Z907. Since these dates mark sig^roxinately t|i* limits 
of iiaportant educational periods, Z have utilised thw fui 
oonYeniont points for the dlTlsion of this thesis. "S^or our 
purpose then ths period from tho earliest times to Z8d9 may be 
termed the •Pre-terrltorial Period"; from Z889 to Z907 tlis 
•Xorritorial Period"; and the period from Z907 to the present, 
the statehood period". 



Pye-territorlttl Period s 

T3a« Indian Is tho central figure of thia period. Hot 

prlmarlli' the Tslanket Indian, although they were present In 

large nunl>ers, but the so called fire civilized tribes took up 

their residence very early in the eastern port of the etate. 

T^\e firat to cosae were a euuill nuiahor of Chorokees, who sovight 

the country voluntarily "becauao of the encroa^jxienta of the 

whltea upon their lands in Georgia, JTorth Carolina and ea«t 

Tennessee, following this the rest of the trihe signed a tjnaty 

with Presidtait Jackson in I830, rellnquishincj their eastern 

lands and accept in^s certain tracts in Indian Territory, After 

a terrible march they iirrived, between the years 1632 and I858. 

The choctavs and cMckajiawa froia Alckbaoa and Miaaissippi were 

removed to the territory between the years Ib40 and I645« The 

creeks from Alabeiaa \fer& removed about the sacae time, although 

soKie liad cone as early as Iiij^» The sezainolea came after the 

I 
war in :gaorida in I645, 

One of the "best accoujits of conditions re^jardlng 

education diu-in^ the unsettled tiaee of these various Indian 

renovols is contained in the published report of Isaac >':cCoy, 

a Baptist missionary to the Indians in the early days. 

In the year I837 he Gives the situation for each tribe of ehi<Ai 

a sUBBaary follows. Amontih the Choctaws there were nine schoole 

•upported by the /;overnraent. The Presbyterian mission supported 

I. Abel, Anna H. , The History of iJirents Resulting In 
Indian consolidation V/eat of x,ho Uiasissippi. 

2« ilccoy, Isaac, t Annual Hegister of Indian Affaire 
Within the Indian Territory., I837. 



■clxoolii at Bathal)ara, Vheolock, Cle&r Creaky Bethel, Lukfoata 

and Pine Kldge, with a tObal attendance of al^out two hundred. 

Tuition and books were free and the Choctaw loiguage e^reseed 

In ISngllah letters was used. The Ilethodist mlsaion had one 

station at Little Hlver whore a ^^overnment teacher wau supported 

She Baptists supported four sxoall stations ivhere some teaching 

was done« Among the Cherokees/the Pres'byterlans had the 

oolobrated Z>wlght Mission, which waa founded in 1^2^, and was 

situated a'bout twenty miles west of Arkansas and twelve miles 

north of the Arkansas river. TIils station cmislsted of thirty 

l>ulldlngs, supported a laale school of thirty and a fsoale sehool 

•f thirty two pupils* Others were the Fairfield station on 

Salllsav/ ereek» with fifty pupils, founded In IB29, and the 

yorks of the Illinois station feimded in XU^. Among the Chero^ 

kees, hymns, scripture tracts, the Book of Jonah, a spelling 

hook and other texts were prepared In the Indian language, ha sod 

on the alphabet of George guoss, coucaonly known as ijstiuoyah. 

A aethodlst mission, eatabllshod In I3^I l^y the Arkansas 

Confurence, supported t«»o schools In IS^gllsh. The haptlsts had 

one station aioong the Cherokees hut It was closed during this 

ysar« (l337) Among the creek fndlaiis there was Utile done, 

two small stations of the haptlst church helng reported* 
I 
Hocoy also gives some Intorestlng facts regarding the 

SROMat of government support which was provided among these 

same tribes* (I) An anniuO. appropriation of $10,000*00 was 

partially appllsd In Indian Territory* (2) For the cherokees, 

I* Lfecoy, Isaac*, Annual Keglstor of Indian Affairs 
Within the Indian Territory* 



an imnual Appropriation of $^000.00 was aad* for ton yoars 
boginning with tho year 1^23, and a fux^tlior sum of $1000.00 waa 
▼•tod for tho pvurpooo of providing a printing proos for tho 
nation. L^ter, in I^:)5» $1^0,000,00 was added to a prorioua 
grant of ^50,000.00, making a pexaanent fund of $200,000.00. 

(3) !^lie creeka received a grant of $3000.00 annually for twenty 
yeare in 1^32, and $1000.00 additional in 1^33. Zt was 
eatioated that this could educate eighty children in a hoarding 
school f or three hiutdred twenty where supported hy the parents. 

(4) For the Choctaws, the government agreed, in Ii^30, to educate 

forty youths, $2500.00 annually for twenty years was alee 

appropriated^ and an une3q;>ended halaaee of $25,000.00 was 

applied hy the government in building twelve schools. 

I 
An estimate of the number of Indians present in the 

territory in I637, places the creekn at 4000* cherokses, 16,000} 
Ohickasaws, 5400 • Choc taws, 3500, Seminoles, 2600. This was, 
however, before the larger bands of the later rmaovals had 
arrived. Shore were also an almost countless number of smaller 
tribes scattered over the country, for many of which the govern- 
muat made provision for education. The missionaries also 
ainistored to these faithfully at their mailer stations. 
During these unsettled times, w}ien the Indians were undergoing 
such terrible hardships Incident to their removal from the 
preserves in the east, the co-operation of the government agents 
and the missionaries seems to have been a live force in estab- 
lishing early ^stexas of education, sooe of which have endured 
to the present day. 

I. Mocoy, Isaac., Annual Register of Indian Affairs 
Within the Indian Territory. 



Very soon after taking possttsslon of their now lands, 
tta0 flT« clTiliaed trlljos set up governments aodelsd after 
tlie United states, and, among other things, sst^lsllshed a Tsry 
efficient siysteia of schools, since these school organisations 
practically controlled education toth among the Indians and 
the whites for a ^eat many years, and still affect educational 
practice in satftern Oklahoma to a large extent, any comprehen* 
sirs statement of educational development in Oklahoma mu&t givs 
large space to them, I hcive selected the Cherokee trlhe, which 
is the largest in nuaher, as a typo suitable for closer scrutiny 
The history of this tri'be is interesting for two further 
reasons} first, a member of this tri'be, aeorge Guesa, commonly 
known as seiiuoyah, gave to the Cherokee nation it^s alphabet, 
the only Indian alphabet in history; second, sll tribal govern- 
ment and authority of the Cherokeos was dissolved but a few days 
ago, June io, I9I4, Tlieee oiviliaed Indians will now take their 
places as individual citi^iens in the btate of Oklaliona, 

AS previously indicated, the cherokess had a form of 
government modeled after that of the United States, with a 
Principal chief and tribal legislatiure or council* The council 
usually met once each year and transacted business much as the 
ordinary legislature does. The Principal chief from I82O to 
IU60 was John Boss, vitiose name has become Immortal among his 
people, A glance at the tribsd laws of the cherokees throws 
considerable li^t on educational progress among the Indians, 
The Cherokee constitution, adopted Sept. 6, I839, contains 
this interesting stat«(ment,« "Heligion, morality and knowledge 
being necessary to good government, the preservation of liberty, 
and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of educa« 



8 

• I 

tlon shall forever Tae cncouragod in thla nation," A brief 

abstract of tho lagialatlTe acta r«lating specifically to 

- 2 
education follows, 

Dec, I6, I34.I, "An act relative to tl» public echoola, B« it 
enacted "by the iTational council:- That for the purpose of 
placing the xaoans of a coinaon education within the roach, as 
nearly as poasihle, of evory person— -there be ostabliaiied— 
thirty two cosnnon ochools located aa follows," nequoyah 
district, throe schools; Illinois district, three schooloi 
Canadian district, three schoolsi !?ahlaquah district, three 
schoolsi CrOing Snalce district, four sohoolsi mint district, 
three schoolsi Dalewaro district, four schools j Saline district, 
throe schools; coo-we-akoo-we district, three acliools. One 
school wa^tt also to be located at the Horavian miaaion, A super- 
intendent of schools , to be elected every two years by tho 
national coimcil, was to appoint a board of three directors for 
each school. The superintendent was also authorized to locate 
two colored schools, .Among the general duties of the supor- 
Intandont we find tliat he is to provide comfortable schools, to 
visit all schools at least twice each yesac and make an annual 
report to the council through the principal ciiief. There is a 
penalty of $25.00 atta<Sied for neglecting to nake this report. 
The local board of directors is to superintend the erection of 
buildings, hire teachers and vistt each school once in three 
mcntha. The school year was divided into two terms. It was 

1. Oklah<Mfta Red Book, vc^l I, p 207, Cherokee constitu- 
tion. Art, VI, Sec, 9. compare N, W, Ordinance 1787. 

2, Laws of the Cherokee ijation, I839-1867, Art, VI, 
"Sohools, Mssion Stations and means of education" 
pp 61 to 69, 



9 



^•tersilnod that a school should contain not leas than twenty* 
flye, nor more than sixty pupllt, |200«00 was appropriated for 
the enforcement of the act, 

NOV, 24, l342. An act granting the raoraylans pernilsslon to 
eatahll^Bh a echool and mission within the reeervation, 
NOY, 2, IO4.9, An act providing for the ai>pointment of an 
examining "bourd of throe, to "be naaod by the princlpaSI chief. 
In addition to the echolautlc q.uaIificatlonB, the applicant must 
profeits a h^llef in the christian religion and he a person of 
good noral character, 

NOV, 7, l3i,il. An act to provide for an office for the superin- 
tendent of schools at Tahlequali, oapiteO. of the nation, 
NOV. 27, 1^51, An act granting the American Board of "Porelgn 
Ulsslons permission to establish a mission and school at 
Killarmores, 

NOV It), l^5^» An act providing for taking care of and keeping 
in repair the seminary buildings, (Vhlch were not in use) 
Nov. 16, 16^'^, The bourd of directors were authorized to put 
the ueminaries '*into operation a^ain", when m«ans shoiad be 
fiirnlahed by the government at Washington. They were to bt 
opened at this time &o non-boarding schools, 
July 7 9 I^ob', An act to gather together and take csure of th« 
fumitiure and other property belonging ^o the male an4 femals 
seninnrles, (Evidently they were closed once more) 
Oct. 2d, lUd^, An act granting permission to Kev ISViun Jones 
and his son J. B. Jones to live within the nation as mission- 
aries, deference made to Art, VI, See. 9, Constitution. 
0«t, 23, It^t>6, An act to provide for Cherokee orphans. 



xo 



Oct. ^I| IO06. An act appointing a cosiraltte* to aid the 

b&ptlst mission to sdl<i)ct a new alte and js^'antlnt; tliesi frea 

tloibur, building natarifil and fuel, 

HOT, 9, 1806, An act authorlairig the principal chlejf to ont«r 

into correapondeuce witli the congregational, Preabyteria^l, 

jM;oravian| and the ^^o 'bruncheu of the Mothodiut cliurchas, 

inviting them to renew thoir labors in the diorolcee nation, 

HOT, 27, 1866. An act appropriating $200,00 and granting the 

■mount to Hev, J, 3« Jones, a ^li^eionary, to prtspare and publish 

a book "on the plan of Oliendorf*. In aigllah and Cherokee • 

I 
A oozopilatlon of the Cherokee laws of 187^ contains 

the following Interesting additions and changes, A national 

board of educai;io^ was to consist of the pzL ncipal di lef , 

assistant principal cliief, the executive council, treasurer 

and three coiiuaibsi oners, i'his board was to e:jiercise full 

control over the orphan asylum, the sale and feaale seminaries 

and education at large, The nine original districts were 

divided into three supervisory diotricts, OY<sjr each of which 

one comuissioner was placed, The first, comprising the Coo-we* 

akoo-we , Doleware end saline districts; the second coioprlslng 

the Taiiletiuah, Going Snake and Pllnt districts, and the third 

comprising the Se<iuoyah, Illinois and Canadian diatricts. The 

«jcamination of teachers wu£i left to the general board and cer* 

terficatoa were graded first, second and third. Each comaalsslOB' 

er was roc^ulred to nake the usual statistical report for his 

district. Teachers were au signed by the board of education, 

I. Laws of the Cherokee nation, Co^ipiled June 21,1875 
Ch»|>, X, "An Act- Relating to Miication", pp 159-195 

sections X '^o 26, 



zx 



not hired by the local board as formerly. The board of eduea* 
tion was authorized to adopt a uniform system of text books, 
apparatus and supplies, which were to be furnished the pupils 
free. They were also directed to open the male sealnary at onee 
(It appears the female seminary was in operation) The work was 
diyided into primary, a three year*8 course, and higlber, a four 
year's course. The latter wasj designated more particularly for 
the seminaries, but the seminaries maintained a "prlaiary depart- 
ment". For admission to the seaninaries^ an examination was 
required in spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic (Including 
addition, subtraction, multiplication and dlriulon), and 
geograph^'^ of the states and territories . The board was to 
furnish tuition, clothing?, board and lodging to the primary 
department pupllsi tuition only to thd others, but board in 
•mry oase was to be furnished at aottial cost. It was reeoa«* 
mended that as soon as possible the nation should furnisli board 
ind llTlng esqpense to all frt^e of costi, The board was author- 
ised to increase and enlarge the boarding schools as rapidly as 
po&fible. The board was given further authority to orgaaiiM this 
K hools as indistrial or raaniASl labor boarding schools. A 
number of tho male sex, who had completed tne seminary, aig^t be 
sent away to be educated at the expense of the nation. Z)«y 
pupils were given pezmisslon to attend boarding schools, ]f« 

changes were made in the location of the district schools, 

I 
Later laws proyide that the board of education shall 

consist of "three persons of liberal literary attainments", to 

I. Laws of the Cherokee Nation, Compiled lU8o, 

Chap. X, "An Act delating to Education", pp 2^ to 
240, Sections I to ^o. 



X2 



b« appointed "by th« principal chi«f, A dlacuaslon of organisa- 
tion, dutlos and divialon of districts follows. Money ie to l>e 
drawn only on warrants and upon prosontation of an itcniaed 
statooent. Tho board is c^argod to vlelt each sexainary and 
orphanage twice oach tena. Thn numbar to be admitted to the 
SiKQinaries to \» deteimlned by the board. Before any school is 
opened, the patrons must provide a library to keep the books and 
A atlonery of the school, 'iihe school year is divided into two 
teras of twenty and sixteen weeks respectively. Other things 
being eqixaly in appointment of teachers the preference should b« 
given (-0 ©embers of the nation, iho salary of primary teachers 
■liall be #35*00 per month. ?he number of prisKury schools vas 
limited .o one hundred, to be distributed in the nine districts 
«s follows— 

pistrict l|o. schools no. children 

Coeweeskoowee Z6 874 

Belewars X5 0o6 

saline 7 584 

Ooing Snake X3 75^ 

KLint Q 420 

Tahlequah Z4 757 

Illinois ZI 595 

S«*iUoyah 7 372 

Canadian 9 4<>I 

Total ZOO 5404 

Dec. 7f X^d7. I'he directors were ordered not to permit the 
children of any person not a Cherokee to receive instruction 
at any school supported at the e:]q>enae of the nation. After XQ$\ 



13 



th« salary of ths HMOBbera of bh« l^oard diould be $6oo.OO par 

y««r« Xh« aalftry of the t«a«l]»r« in th« ma* and fmtal* •«al- 

nari«t was placed at,« Principal teadier, |800,00i A»e*i teacher 

$500. 00 » primary teachers $300«00. (Beo. 10, liSQO) An act was 

passed providing that the laoiirdin^; and clothing of primary 

pupils and the hoarding of teachers and high school pupils 

•hsuld be let by contract to the lowest bidder, 

Z 
Laws of the cherokees coznpiled still later indicate 

that a tribal superintendent was once more provided for, to be 
elected by joint ballot of the national council for a term of 
two years. Buties of the sui>eriu>endent:* To adopt naes and 
regulations for all schools, exaraine teachers and determine 
qualifications for admission to the seminaries, press ribs 
uniform text books, grant or revoke teachers* certificates, 
discontinue any primary school with less than thirteen in 
average attendance, keep a r9<»rd of all acts and appoint teach- 
ers to all schools. He must BXike an annual report to the 
council and visit all schools twice each tezm. Shose wdxo e«»-* 
plete a normal c<Hirse in a seminaiy or in the orphan school shall 
be entitled to a first class permanent certificate. Such a 
certificate, however, was always subject to revocation for 
lntem£>eraa ce or immoral conduct. 'Xhe number of orphans admitted 
to the orphan school should not exceed 175$ &nd none were to be 
admitted under nine years. The number of boys in the male 
seminary should not exceed loo and none should bo aidmitted 
under thirteen years. Preference should be given the older boys 
It was provided here that no day school pupils should be admit* 

I* Laws of the Cherokee nation, compiled 1392-, Chap.X, 
•An Act Helating to Education", pp 269»2o2. 



X4 



ted to thA boarding schools, Tlie rate of board in the eealn- 
arlea and caHored high schools was fixed at #5«00 per month. 
Anyone refusing to pay board ml^t be dlsnlsssd from school. 
The average attendance at the colored high school must remain 
25 In order to continue the achool. Teachers and members of 
tbttlr faallles were required to pay board at the rate of $5*00 
per month, A phyuloieui for the orphanage was voted a salary of 
#000,00 per year, ne was to furnish his own medicines and board, 
and visit the school every day If necessary. The colored high 
school shoiad at the beginning enroll 2^ student si after two 
years, 2^ more were to be enrolled. The coiirse being four years 
25 would be admitted and 2^ dlschar^d every two years, with a 
total attendance at any one time limited to ^JO, In making 
admissions to the primary department of the eetilnarles, the 
superintendent was Instructed to give preference to non-Bngllsh 
speaking Cherokee s and c^portlon then from the various district 
schools. 

Vor purposes of later discussion we lAiould note cer- 
tain tendencies In the conduct of the Cheroieee schools. At the 
beginning, they welcomed the missionaries very heartily, but 
said little about them later. The seminaries always supported 
a "prlBiary department", and for this reason could hardly be 
called true secondary schools, 7he seminaries were effectively 
closed to the masses and attendanoo was denied day school pupils. 
The attention of the coimcll was continually directed toward 
the boarding schools rather than the day schools, again proving 
the selective character of their s^etan. Attendance was limited 
In all the schools, seminaries, orphana^^e and day schools. 



15 



lhlt«s ««r« Axoludad froa aIX Indi«in schools. Laoause of thtt 
llmlt«d faollitles, cmopulsory attondanoo was not •taphaulzed. 
The organlaatlon and administration of the schools, howeTer, 
was aurprlalnt^y well advanced, considering all conditions. 

By wa^ of Gooparlson, we shall next consider educa- 
tional progress among the choctaws and Creeks ditrlng this sams 

Z 
period. Aaong the Choctaws we find educatlonia legislation 

as follows, 

Oct. 30, Z376. An unappropriated sim of ^1,522,^0 had accum- 
ulated from school fund royalties on coal, timber, stone, etc. 
An act was passed providing that nine hoys of the nation ho sent 
to Roanoke College, 8al«B| Va. Three were to he selected frosi 
each of the three districts and the suj^erlntendent was to ac- 
coB^say them to Virginia. 

Oct. 9, 1^77 . #2700.00 was appropriated for the aaiae purpose 
and the number of boys wau Increased to twelve. 
Oct, II, 1377. An act providing for medical exasilnatlon of all 
pupils In the Hew Hope seminary, :;poncer academy and the public 
schools. If any have affected lungs, they s^iould be excluded 
and their places filled with healthy children. Provision was 
also made for three :aore girls at l^ew Hope seminary. 
Oct, 12, iBd^. Reports to the national council of the committee 
on "Schools*, In ruference to state superintendent £d. Mccurtaii^ 
the superintendent of the Hew Hope seminary and a district eupt. 
Oct. 13| Iti62. Gifts of bedding, clothing, singing books, a 
bell, etc, donated by missionary societies and SUiiday schools 

I, Laws of the Choctaw Nation, IiJ76, IB83, and IiJ84. 



Z6 



to the ori4ian school, accepted with thanks. 

Oct, 19, Ibd^. An act to regulate the attendance at boarding 

schools. If a student failed to appear within ten days after 

his assignment to the school , the sheriff should look him up* 

Oct, 22, Idd3. Number assigned to each hoarding uchool was as 

follows, Spencer Acadeiay, 100 hoys} tlsw Hope seminary, 100 

eirl8» Armstrong Academy, 50 orphan boysj Choctaw orphan school^ 

?0 orphan girls. 

Oct. 25, 1&^5, All orpljan boys should bo removed to Armstrong 

academy, ^5000,00 was appropriated for thie uchooli agriculture 

and manual training were to be encouraf^d, 

Oct, 25, 1883. Til® Choctaw Orphan school waa removed to 

ISBieelock and named the li^eelock Seminary, 1^000,00 was voted, 

Oct, 26, Ib83, An act prohibiting tho disturbing of schools 

or churches, imposing a fine of ^^25,00 or 25 to 100 lashss. 

NOV. 2, 1683, The county Judge must select the prphans for the 

school and the sheriff must convsy them to the i^chool. 

Oct. II, Idd4, Both houses aaseable to elect the state super- 

intendent, district trustees and 8Upr«BS Jud^s, 

Oct. 21, I8d4, Report of supt. Kobe of Hl/heelock seminary 

accepted and $4^00,00 appropriated to o<Maplete his building. 

Hov, 24, Idc^, An act supplemental to the school law of IU79, 

It is admitted that the nei^borhood schools are a failure 

without the compulsory feature. All children from 7 to Id are 

to be enrolled and a fine of 10 cents per day imposed on all 

absence. Trustees are required to t^ort the enumeration. 

The list of appropriations for education made by the Choctaw 



n 



council during the seaslone of Ib83 and 1884 are as follows. 

Z 

Appropriations 1883 . 



Superintendent and Dlet« Trut^teea ^800.00 
Noighborhooci Schools (3 dlats) 15000.00 



scholars in States 
spencer AcadeBiy 
New Hope seminary 
IQieelock B^minary 
Armstrong Academy 

■ " Bepairs 
H«w Hope seminary, Hepairs 



8000,00 
10000.00 
10000.00 

5000.00 
5000.00 



1884 . 

$800.00 
21000.00 

8000.00 
10000.00 
10000.00 

5000,00 

5000.00 

2500.00 

2757.09 



The actual operation of tlie Choctaw aystem is very 
cloarly shown in a letter written hy a forier district aaiper- 
intandent of the Choctaw nation. He writes, in part, as follows. 
"Our hoard of education v/as ctxaposed of a general superintendent 
and three dii»trict superintendents, one for each diutrlct, atnd 
Z was one of these. Z think I had sJsout fifty local or n«i£^- 
horhood cchools tmder my control and I assisted in looking after 
the acadeaios, making contracts for supplies, etc. Our systea 
of schools was "^^ry siallar*ln a newer and cruder sense- to 
those of the surrounding states. The nation paid ;3i2.00 per 
pupil for every Indian and Choctaw freedman (nogro descenclents 
of slares owned hy clxoctaws) who actually attended 15 days or 
over during any one month, and ten cents per dai' for all under 
that. The school fund cume from royalties on coal, tlraher, 

1. Laws of the Choctaw nation, 1^76, 1^83 and 1384, 

2, B, S. Smiser, Atoka, Oklahoma, June 20, Z9I4. 



Id 



atone, from permits to lb Ite people and Interest on Inve&ted 
funds, we had separate schools for Indians and ^reediaen. All 
"books and other supplies were furnished t>y the n&tion, free of 
charge., ..The nation also prorided for laying the board of 
pupils llying in cparsel^ settled localities, where a school 
could not he supported, if the pupils would go to places and 
attend where schools were already located. The nation also 
educated from nine to a dozen pupils at state institutions, such 
as they would select, or kept that raany at thee* schools all 
the time,,, Each district superintendent conducted his examina- 
tions, issuing 1st, 2nd and :^rd grade certificates for I, 2 and 
3 years,.,! think the Indian© took a^ much interest in education 
as the arerage white people,.,, I think our system of education 
was equal to and superior %o many, and only needed to he carried 
out well, purged from graft and politics, as many need, to he 
made the hest,.,Our school was compulsory. Parents and guard- 
ians of pupils who did not attend school, unless they had a 
lawful excuse, were finod 10 cents a day, or the sarae amount 
that waa paid theai for the terra, if they attended, . ,3»09 
supplies included all necessary material, such as hooks, charts^ 
glohas, maps, tahlets, pencils, paper, ink, etc," 

The following abstract of uducationfipL legislation of 
the LTuakogee, or creak, nation will display some interesting 
differences, A superintendent of public instruction was to he 
•Icctod by the national council for a term of two >ears. 
He is to maintain i>n office at the national capital, be present 

I, Laws of tlie .\Tuskotjee Nation, lB6o, Chap. I, 
Article V, p lb. 



x» 



at th« national council and at th« "National T«acher*tt Instituts 

of which h« in to be the proaidont. )I« ia to taka charga of all 

acOtioola, act aa ohainaan of the board of ajuuninera and aliall ba 

Bubjact to iopaacbmant. Ilia aalary la placod at ;|t>00.00 per yr. 

Hoighborhood schoola. $275,000.00 hold in trust by 

tha United States made \xp the parraanant school fund, Twenty 

eight neighborhood achools were esitabllehed, including seven 

for preednen. It was the duty of (he auperintendent to appoint 

all teachare and three trustees for each school. The council 

vaa eapowored to make annual appropriations for text books. 

Boaka adopted wore,* McGuffay*8 lieaderB, Davies* Aritjijirttitica, 

Smith's graauaar, Towns iqpeller and analysis^ Mitchell's and 

Olney's Geography and Aclaa. Tx.e scholaBtlo year was to con* 

tinue ten months, from Bept. I, zo J\m9 ^0. Teachers salary 

was placed ab ^'^O.OO per year. A school must cmmaence with 

twenty pupils and ttUst bw auspended if the attendance falls 

below fifteen. Parents are required t* keep their children In 

achool. Teachers must report ei»ch quarter to the superintendent 

who in turn must make an annual report to the national council. 

2 

Examinai.ion of Teachers. Tlie superintendent and three 

other competent persons make up the examining board. Certifi* 
cutea are issued for ons year and the teacher laust show ability 
to teach arithmetie, grsBuaar and composition^ U. S. hisiiroy, 
geography, penmanship and the "priicblcal duties of teaching*. 

1. Lawa of tha Huskogee if at ion, l<i6o, Chap. V, 
"Education", Artic).e I, p 40. 

2. Ibid. Article II, p 42. 



20 



I 

The TaadLttra' Institute was a regular corporate "body compoeed 

of all teachers of neighborhood schools. The annual session 

2 
began the first Tviesday in July. Mission Boarding schools. 

A law pxovided that the principal chief of the nation appoint 
two hoards of fire each to enter into contracts with the Talla* 
hasse and Ashury missions. "Articles of agreement betveon John 
Harrell, supt. of Indian Missions, :l. 1. Church, south, in 
behalf of the Board of Foreign Missions of said church, of the 
first part, and Pleasant porter. Chilly HcIntOBh, Joseph W, 
perryaan, George W. Stidham, Janes McHenry, trustees diay em- 
powered by the uuskogee nation to act in the premises for the 
second part.* The contract provided for the education of 8o 
children (later changed to males) for four years, to be taught 
the usual high school subjects, including agriculture and 
manual training. The nation agreed to appropriate $70.00 per 
year for each dx ild, or a total of $5t)00.00, to be paid the 
treasurer of the board of missions. They also agreed to provide 
the neoeoBary land and timlier. The superintendent of this, 
school was to report directly to the national council. 

A similar ccmtract was made with the baptists, in 
which 100 cixildren, 50 male and 50 feraale, were to be educated 
at #o0.00 each. It appeared that in this caae the nation and 
the missioneiry society each InTeeted $5000.00 for this school, 
and a later amendment provided that the nation could acquire a 
clear title by paying back the ^5000.00 contributed by the 
society. 

X. Laws of the LTUskogee iTation, Chap V, "Education", 
Article III p ^0, 

2, Ibid. Article IV, p 44, 



2X 

1 
A final articl* yr ovlded for the education of six "youths'^ to 

be placod in laothodiat schools in th« states, 

2 
Ihen th« cr««k laws wsre compiled in 1^92, the school 

ftmd aiuountod to an annual a|>proprlation of #76,4t>d«40, by 
virtue of treaties with the United States as follows,* Id26, 
ll'/IO.OOi 1035, ^1000. OOi Id^L, 10,000. OOi Iboto, $I5,75ti,40» 
liiii$, ^^0,000.00. Under "school law" we find the usual 
division into three districts, and three clasues of schools, 
primary. Intermediate and high, The board may declare any 
schools "manual labor schools", i'he school :,ear is to be nine 
months of twenty days and the legal age from 6 to |0« Anyone 
is encouraged to attend the primary and Intermediate schools, b4 
but pupils for i^he high schools oust be selected. Salaries for 
teachers in the primary and intermediate schools range frctt 
^550.00 to #750.00 per year. Two orphan schools erere prorided, 
(one for colored) for which $10,000.00 was appropriated annual- 
ly. These were to be industrial schools. 

Interesting contributions to the whole of Indian 
legislation of this period are furnished by the Choctaw tribe 
as we have observed, fioyalties on Coal, timber and utone en- 
riched (.heir s^ool fund. Then they provided for compulsory 
attendance with a definite system of fining the parents. This 
unfortunately, applied only to tho neighborhood schools,- their 
boarding schools were as select as those of the cherokees. Both 
Choctaws and creelcs also sent select youths away to be educated 

1. Laws of the Muskogee Nation, I^dO, Art., V, p ^2* 

2, Ibid., compiled lii^ii. Chapter VII, P 70. 



22 



In th« atMtea. 

Th« Cfaoks 8e«med qult« particular as to the examina- 
tion and qualifications of teachera, insisting on suae kno«ledg« 
of ths practical duties of the teacher in addition to subject 
majiter. The "contractB" formed with mission boards are very 
interesting. The "intermediate schools" of the creejto were 
really designed to be agricultural schools, but the emphaiiis on 
this work among all the tribes seemed only half -hear ted. 

It is highly improbable that a further study of the 
laws of the chickasaws and semlnules would discover anything 
different in character from what we have obserred among the 
Cherokees, choctaws and Ceeks. Certainly enough has been said 
to prove conclusively that these five tribes developed an 
independent system of education of considerable proportions. 
The machinery of a system was at hand, ^ich woiad compare 
favorably with that eetablisned in other new states during 
this period. 

One very important phase of the work of the earlier 
period, to which we have already referred, and to which the 
tribal laws continually call attention, was the untiring effort 
of the missionaries and mission schools. One of these early 
missionaries, J. S. Ifurrow, is still living at Atoka, Oklaiioma. 
In a letter to me dated June 2^, I9I4, he writes as follows, - 
*I came to the territory in lo57. At that time there were 
twelve or fourteen "boarding schools" aj.iong these five civilised 
tribes. They were all under the management of the Boards of 
Missions of the Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist churches. 



25 



Th«y were manual laboring uchoole as well as literary. They 
•aoh had a large farm cultivated "by the l>oy»« They were managed 
well, with econoioy and efficiency. The Indian youths were 
taught, not only hooks, hut industry, morality and real Christ- 
ianity, They were important factvrs In the present development, 
civilization and general uplift of these Indian trlhes. The 
war set these people hack many, many years, and since the war, 
the grafters have well nigh completed the ruin of the fullbloods'' 

AS we have alreadV seen, the tribal laws accord quite: 
fully with the estimate of this aged ralusionasry. We find many 
references to the missions and instances where the churches 
were urged to continue their work. Timber, fuel and building 
material was voted them and every assistance given th<u&. In a 
law passed by t)it Cherokee council Nov. 7, Ii5()5, we find this 
rather remarkable statement. "Hesolved by the national council: 
That our sincere thanks are hereby tendered to the Baptist 
Missionary society of BOiiton. It Is now more than forty years 
since the missionaries of that society ciirae Into the Cherokee 
nation. When the Cherokecs were poor and covered with dar]c3iess, 
light with regard to the othsr world was brought to us by Evan 
Jones, and at a later date by his eon, John B. Jone», And we do 
bear witness that they have done their work well, and tlxut they 
have striven to discharge the duties incumbent upon then in 
doing good to the people and performing faithfully their duties 
to ood. And we bear witness that their work watj highly prosper- 
ous up to the time when they were driven out of our country 

I. Laws of the Cherokee nation, I639 to I<io7, p II6. 



24 



by the United st«it«a agent in I(i6I. And now, aft«r th« close 
of the war, we are informed that the misfiionary society have 
deten&ined to resume their work in the Cherokee nation. Per 
thie detarrainbtlon we hereby return them many th&nkei and we 
hereby declare that it ie our deeire that they will more strong- 
ly than ever push forward the norlc of enlightening our land. 
And we do further declare that we hold In high esteem Bran 
jrones and his son J. B. Jones: l?ow, therefore. Be it Enacted 
by the National Covmcil,- That ISven Jones and his son J, B, 
Jones, be and are hereby admitted to citizenship in the nation, 
together with their families, and all rights'' allowable to white 
men under the constitution are hereby granted them. Our object 
in so doing is that our people may be Instructed by them in 
good morals and general intelligence.* This will serve to 
illustrate the degree of confidence the Indians placed in the 
work of the early miasionariea. Later annual appropriations 
were made to the mission schools and definite contracts were 
entered into to educate certain Indian children. 

The first report of the government superintendent of 

Indian schools, John D. Benedict, contains an interesting 

I 
oosDttent on this matter. "So long as these mission boards 

remained in charge of these schools, the educational affairs of 
the Territorj progressed fairly well, but there caiae a time, 
not mf-ny years ago, when the Indian authorities thought them- 
selves wise enough to control these schools and appoint the 
teachers and superintendents therein. Many an honest old 

I. Annvial Beport of the U. S. Indian In^p ector for the 
Indian Territory, IcJ^S^, p I^. 



25 



Indlwi looka 1>aek to that tia« with rogrot, arid It la ¥tif]r 
generally coneedad that tha schooXa of tha Territory have not 
aM4a any aaterltO. adTt.ne«raent alnoa tha ehanga waa nada." Ya 
condLuda than that tha varloua church niaalon schools supplied 
a vary definite need in those early daya, 

JTow, howQTer, we find it imperative that ve turn our 

attention away from the Indlcm for a time and direct it tovrard 

the vhita man. !rhe reaervatlon of Ihis territory for Indiana 

made no proTltEiion for the intruding white man so far as educa* 

tion was concerned. The tribal laws allowed whites to come into 

the resarration under certain canditiona. Any white person 

marrying an Indian would he enrolled as an Indian and given all 

rights of cltisenship in the nation. Then there was a regular 

aohadule of "permits* adopted by the tribes, after the payment 

of which, whitea could live within the limits of the nation and 

I 
conduct business there. Thus in the Cherokee laws we find a 

drover* a tax of five cents per head per week} a merchant's tax 

of i of Z^ on all goudsi a peddler's tax of 5/^i Colporteurs of 

sacred literature were exempt. Permits for liiring citizens of 

tha United States could be obtained for fifty cents per month, 

with a bond of ^2^0,00 conditioned on the good behavior of the 

2 
aaoTloyaa, In the creek n«.tion we find the following interesting 

schttdule of permits for all who were not members of the nation. 

Per Year 

Dealers in hides, furs and produce- - - % ^0,00 
Hotels, depending on aise- - - ■^2.4-,00 to I50.00 

Z, L^ws of the Cherokee Ration, Compiled 1^7^, chap XZ 

2, Laws of the Ifuokogee Jatlon, Compiled 1 392, 



a6 



Pt Y««ur 

printing Offic* -.-----•- ^ 50.00 

Griat ttiid 71oaring ;:111- - — b'O.OO 

cotton Gin and lill- 50.00 

cotton Gin alone -.--- « i:4.00 

oris t Mill alone- ----- — --- 24.00 

Livery and I'oed r.tablo- - « JJO.OO 

poed St&lalo alone- 24.00 

■Qxa^ or >:ack- 12.00 

Harness Shop, Boote, Shoes- - - - - 24,00 

Blackaraith 24.00 

Furniture Dealer- ---------- 24,00 

Inaurance Agent- ---------- i)0.00 

Bank, I^ of Stock. 

Physician- 25.00 

Dentist- " kb.OO 

contractor- ------- -- 25.00 

Photo aallery- J/0.00 

Butcher Shop- 50.00 

Lunch Stand- ----- — ----- 24.00 

jewelry Shop- ---.,__--- 24-, 00 

Laundry- ----- — ------- 24.00 

Barber Shop- ona chair- ------- 12.00 

Each additional chair- - - o.OO 

Tin Shop- - 24.00 

laiXor Shop- --------- — - 24,00 

Dress Making and Llilllnery- - — - - 24.00 

lee cream Stand- ---------- 12.00 

Billiard a,nd Pool- 50.00 

Merry-go-round- ----------- 24,00 

Circus cuid Menagerie, per day- - - - 25.00 

Circus alone- ------------ 10.00 

concert, per day- --------- 5.00 

XraTOlliug Plioto^ai)her, per waok- - 1. 00 

prom chese Xavrs it will be obi^erTed that a gi'eat deal or money 

was paid by the whites for cho privilege of living in tho 

Indian Territory/, or conducting business there. However, little 

of this money jma ever used for schools or far public Improve- 

zosnts, which would In any way benefit the whites. Xney were 

absolut;ely debarred from attendance upon the Indian adiuinaries 

and were charged regular rates of tuition if they attended the 

crude neighborhood schoolB. Often even whis wa& denied them 



27 



as w« hMr« s««n in tho law passttd 7>tc. 7, Iv}d7 1>y the Charok«« 

nation forbidding the director of a school to admit aayotto 

other than a Cherokoe to any school supported at tho ttiqpttnas 

of the nation. 

we may Infer that some few eduoatlonal facllitlea 

were offered. There is soodie SYldenee that the trlb&l laws were 

not always strictly enforced, and this may have worked to scne 

advantage to the whites In allowing thea to continue in attend* 

anoe at the Indian achools. Thun too, thera were OGca«iionaX 

schools estaTjlisIied purely through prlTat© initiative, A school 

which iu reported to "be the fir at free sciiool for white u In 

Indian Territory wtts oetiihlished hy Mr Cazrqpbell Husi^ell, at 

I 
Warner, Oklaiioma, irr Ruetiell v/rites of this school— "The 

school wae on my land i^nd was* huilt l«iTgely to help me get a 

tetter class of tenants. It lasted three months in the summer 

and I paid the teacher ^2^.00 per month—had no trouble to get 

a good teacher at that price. I think the school w«i& worth 

all it cost," 

There is perhaps one other way in which educcitional 

facilitiCD might have been offered the whites. With che coming 

of many whites into the territory, Kany missionaries no doubt 

felt b'orongly drawn to their ov/n race, to the possible neglect 

of the Indian. The Indian mi&£>ion& were well supported, becauss 

of tho strong plea triiich could bo nade for funds to support such 

1. Dated June 22, 191*. 

2, Murrow, J. s. "The Indlan»8 Side", p 25, 



28 



work» but It WA« m«4ilf««tly a Bisiipproprlation of such mon«y 
to u«« it for tli« 1i«B«fit of tho «hlt«» «h«a It «a» •spr»ssly 
Aonatdd for work among tho Indians, In th» ond, wa «aii fliiA 
Tory little oridonca of eduesktlonal facilitiaa for tha whita 
IMiOfla wMoh cotild 9«aaibly ba adafoata to tlm tttiu);(lon. 

wo hava \3^ to tba praoant tima aaid nothing ragarding 

adueation in tha waatom part of tha otata. This land was 

•eei^iad alaost entirmly by Indiana of tha blankat, or unclTil* 

iaad typa. :ikhare was no or4^iuiiaecL tribal gOYorosidnt and no 

I 
tribal fund for school purposas, Tvonty bOi«rding schools wars 

astablishad by tha gOTamaaiit, and there wera about tan aiaaion 

sohoals. Tha to'i;al anrollmant in all of i;hosa schools vas 

aot over ^00. 

Za gonaral thaa, if va wars to sionariaa tha aduca- 
tional facilities and growth during the firat period* tha 
snridanea at hand would we^rant these conclusions,* (X) Mission- 
aries followed the Indians to tha territory and sstablisiied and 
conducted the meat effleient schools we find an$r trace of • 
(2) These were at first supported entirely by tha yarious 
mission boards, later they waira generously subuidised froa the 
tribal funds, but fini^ly such subsidies were pretty generally 
withdrawn, (i) A systea of tribal schools was established in 
each of the five civilised tribes, which was t^ite coaaplete in 
organisation. However, attendanee was alw«^s limited, 
(4) The facilities for the edueation of the whites wsre lizaitod 

Z, Vllson, K, H,| "Progress of Education in Oklaheaa 
since Ida9«, OMLahsaa School ! herald. May I9I2. 



at 



to p«rmi««loii to at toad tho IiKjUftn day school upon paymont of 
tuition* eooaalonul facllltlos offered b> tho miaalon oohools, 
vhloh v<-ro doolgnod for Indlinno osioluoiYOIy, and privato mchooXs 
which oould aocQiaodato lout vory fow, (5) Sduoation In i«h« 
woatem part of tho stato was oonfinod to blanleot Indians and 
iko f«BlllOB of gOYormtont onployooo, and wao admlnlotodod l)y 
tho Bloalon schools and gOTsrnastit hoarding schools. 
(t>} In tho wholo torrltory, oast and wsot, ths total nushor 
ozurollody according to tho host Infonaatlon ohtalnablo In ths 
•ffico of tho atato anaporlntondont, was I5t$^$ out of a total 
p^ulatlon of OTor 325,000. jUMimlilg that ono fifth of ths 
population Is mats up of chlldron of sohool a^fO, wo aay ostlaato 
that at loast 7^^ of tte ehlldrojs of tho torrltorlos* up to tks 
yoar 1889, had ahsolutolx ao educational faeUltlos ndrntoTor 
and had, In all prohabUlty, aoYor attoniod sohool. 



50 



YTritorlal Period . 

With thd («Naing of th« "eighty niners*, tha oouca* 
tlonal history of OJcLahonii as a ^oI« rttitlXy b«glns« C^^rtaln 
tracts in the was torn portion of the territory had been aban- 
doned by the blsaket Indians, and the ^Ternmsnt opened these 
for hemesteMl tettleaent by aiewis of a "rider" attaclxed to an 
Indian appropriation bill. The fact that this act was contained 
in a relatlTely Insignificant "rider** is of sows Import aaee 
in that no proTlsi«a was made for territorial goTernaent, as 
there probably might hare been with a more formal proeeedlng. 
In the course of events, Pre sidMtt Harrison Issued a proclaraa- 
tlon setting April 22, li^d^ at noon, as the day and hour for 
the opening of the new country, settlers gathered for miles 
along the boundry line end at the sounding of the bugle, crossed 
orer and took up th#lr claias in the opened tracts. Thousands 
entered on that first day. Ilany were without resources of any 
kind and all were without hones. 

Tor a year thftre was no or^^nised goTensMnt and the 
people were without laws except the United Btates criminal 
statutes and land laws. There was no such thing as loealr 
tamtion possible, because the land could not be taxed until 
patents were issued and this required fire years of "proring up9 
Without pewer to ereate public resources, without power to 
establish local self gOTemBsnt, and with justice dispensed by 
Aistant fedoral courts, it was truly a situation deauuadlng a 



31 



mora on the piuct of tha eottlors ohemsolrea. In xhia tixm tttaq^r 

of tho pionoers d098 not dlsaf^oint us, for we find them astal)-* 

llflhlng prlvato schools tho first avrnmr, and lay fall th« 

lrH»bltaats of towns and villagss had dovlsod and •ai;ahllahsd 

I 
purely local systems of schools without the support of any laws. 

2 
The passage of the enabling act in 1:690, orgsnisod 

this land into Oklohooa Territory, providing for a territorial 
legislature and a systea of free pu1ill« schools modeled after 
those of the state of ]iel>raska. This act also contained some 
▼ery important proyisions with regard to schools for the new 
territory. Sections 16 and 3t> of each township were reserved 
•for the purpose of being applied" to the public schools wlien 
the territory ^ould becozae a utate. All tracts of laxid which 
had previously been s^t aside for school pxarposes, to education- 
al societies, or missionary boards at work ainoag t;he IndlanSg 
were declared closed to settXejos nt and were granted to the 
various ergaalxatlons. It was further provided, that in all 
surveys for town sites, reservation must be made for school 
sites and othsr public puri/oses of nst less tiian ten nor more 
than twenty acres. An appropriation of ^b'0,000«00 was mads, 
to be e:q>ended by the gow^mor "in taaqporary support and aid 
of tho c<»maon schools* in ihe territory as soon as the legis- 
lature should take the necessary steps to areata a perouuient 
fl^stea. 

As itlght be expected, the terrltorlnl legislature at 

!• Wilson, iv. 7T., "Progress of Bdoeatlon in OklahooiA 
Slnee Zi>09.« Oklah^aa seheol Herald, Junm I9I2« 

2. Oklahona ^ad Book, "Organic /^ot", pp53? to 53l^. 



52 



onc« took up tho qudation oS public •ducu.tion, Th« Territory 
oadv provision for setting asida tho sootiont aontlonod in tho 
organlo aot amd raaorvod I,4I3,<j&2 acroB ad ondowuent for tho 
•oomon schools and ^0^,^24- acros for support of schools of 
higtier loamlng.To proper^ adninister tho school funds, a 
board of eonasisBionors was proTidody emaposod of tho suporin* 
tendont of public instruction, secretary of stato and stato 
troasuror, to nana^ all school funds* ISShenovor as much as 
9I000.00 had accumulatod, tha hoard should moot ^o apportion 
tho mono)r in tho varioua eountios aeoordins to tho enumeration. 
Tor the ensuing fire years all UniTorsity and sronaal school 
funds shoiad be diverted to erecting buildings. Complete 
provision is sMde for the loaning of the funds and security 

against possible loss. 

2 

In the diapter relating to common schoole. Art, I 

provided for a state board of wducatioa aade up of the atat« 

superintendent, the president of the state normal school at 

Xdmond, the president of tho state university, one city super* 

intendent and one county superintendent. £he salary of thess 

officers was fixed at #5«00 per day and mileage. (I893). 

Art. II deals with the office of the state superintendent, 

outlining the usual duties and reports pt fuoh an officttr. 

Art. Ill create*d the office of county si^erintendent and 

defined his duties in detail. (I(>93) Xhe county »^ per intendent 

was authorised to divide each eounty into convenient diiitriets , 

I« Snyder «s Compiled Lsws of Oklahoma, Chap. lOI. 
PP I$97 to 1604, 

2. Ibid., Chap. 102, pp 1605 to lo65. 



55 



ao Aiatrlot to haT* l««s timn •Xf^t ohildrva of school Ago, 
{XQ97) 3!)i« county m^orlntondont to be olootod at oaoh etaoral 
•lootien. (1^9) Art. V, Cltlos of the first class. ProTlslon 
is a»dit fer a sig^AfAt* indspeadeat dtstriet, eoatrolled by a 
•Ity board of etueatioa with corporate powers. Installs eoa* 
eeraing the eleetioa wid the organisation of the beard are fully 
eutlinedi as aro jaso the duties of the city superintendent. 
An eanoalning board of three is provided and a definite tiasi 
set for school board sMettngs When they may levy taxes or rote 
bonds. The instruetion ia the schools is to be nen*8eotari«si, 
though the seriptures nay be read without eesoMnt. Art. VZ, 
districts. A complete plan for the organisation of districts is 
contained in this article. At the district meeting a tax not 
exceeding 2^ isay be levied to proride a school house and keep it 
in repair, me grounds are to be not le&a than one acre. At 
this meeting they may also detemine the length of the tem, 
sliioh aay not be less than three months during the year. 
Art. Yll, District seheols. Branches to be taught in the 
district BCheols are orthography, reading, writing, Sngllsh, 
grftBBsar, geegri^phy, arithmetie, and "such other branohes" as 
may be deemed adrisAle. All subjects are to be taught in the 
lagllsh language. (Id95> i^^^e school month Is to consist of 
four weeks, of five days eaeh, six hours per day. In the oTent 
of a deficit, after the full amoalit of 4^ has been leried, 
tuition may be assessed on the parents. Art. VIXI, Provision is 
made for districts containing territory in mor« than one county. 
Art. IZ, District officers. A detailed outline of all the ordin<^n 



5* 



dutios of these offloere. Art. X, county Kif^n. SohAOla. 
counties mssr establish hla:h schooXu. (I^OI) All provisions «s 
to hoard, organisation^ huildlngs, teachers, etc given, arad- 
uatas fron the normaX course of the county high school may he 
granted a second grade certificate and admitted to the first 
year of professional work at the state norxoal sehool. Those 
taking preparatory courses may be admitted to the freshman year 
at the unlTerslt;y witiiout; examination. Ax%, XZ, Kindergartens. 
Any city having a population of 2300 or more auKSr establish a 
kindergarten. In this event the enuaeratlon of pupils between 
4 and 6 may he included In the claim for the apportlonmont of 
funds. She word •kindergarten* is defined as, ^the application 
Of the methods of iroehel, er sons aj^proved American developoMMt 
of such a method} and no merely sUb«primary grades". I'eachers 
must he graduates of sens approved kindergartim school or course. 
Art. XII, Union or graded school districts. Provision is made 
for uniting two or more diatrlcts for the pmrpose of forming 
a graded school. Any single district may also fens a graded 
school if large enough, no «ect6U'lan doctrine is permitted, 
hut i,he Bihle may he read without cosanent. Art. XIV, separate 
Schools, separate schools must he estahlished for white «md 
colored children. Provision is made for having children trans* 
ferred to other districts where there are less than ten of one 
color. The furniture a£d equipment of the two schools is tc be 
equal. All provisions made for the employment and payment of 
teachers in the colored schools, for buildings, sites and 
repairs. (I90I) Art. XV, Xeachers and Certificates. Three 



55 



gr*daa of certificates ««r« eatabllalied with rei^ulremonts for 
««tfh« A county t>oard of exu^ilnera Is authorised, prorlslon for 
issuing teiq)or&ry certiflceites and a pentilty of ^100.00 to 
$500.00 iaiipoeed for Issuing any eertlfloate unlswfully. 
Art. XVI, COiapulsory eductition. ChiXdron are cimipeXlud to 
attend school between the ages of eight and sixteen, imless they 
have coi.u>ltJVed tho «i.rj-ith £'r4*de, or haTS a certificate from 
a reputable ph;yaician excusing them on the basis of poor health. 
The board of education must report a list of all pu|)ils in the 
schools and notify parents of non-compliance with this lav. 
Tnuunt officers may be desi^Tiated, and books will be supplied 
liy the county whore the parents are too poor to purchase theia. 
In the case of a widowed nother, v4io Is dependent on tho son's 
wages for support, the boy may be granted a scholarship 
approxiraating what his weekly salary would be, A penality of 
IIO.OO to $50.00 is attached co any violation of the compulsory 
law. Art, XVIZ, Kiacellansous. At least three months school 
must be maintained in each dlutrlct. A penalty is attached to 
any destruction of school property. Pro-vision is Tnade for a 
definite appropriation for school libraries. The United States 
flag is to bs dli^layed in each school roosn every dayi the 
board to laake the neceuaary provision for this \inder penalty, 
Sthics and humane education are retiuired and vivisection la 
prohibited. Arrangements are made for the teaqporary transfer 
of pupils to otjier districts where accomodations cannot be 
secured at home. 



36 



She logi«latlon in regard to the state schools Is 
I 
of considerable Interest. Art. I, 'Jnirerslty of Oklahoaa. On 

condition th«it forty acres of land and $10,000.00 Ids glren by 

the city of irorman and Clerelend county, the state university 

was founded and located at Gorman. (I693) A beard of regents, 

cos)pos<»d of the goyurnor and nine others appointed by hist, were 

to have fiai control, colleges of Arts, Letters, Normal and 

Professional were designated and co-oducation stipulated. The 

standing of vhe diploma was determined. Ho tuition was to 

charged to any who had resided in the state one year. The 

board of rerrents was authorized to receive bequests. In 1903 an 

act of congress granting one section (3^) in clevelwad county 

to the university, was approved by the state. Art, II, 

University Preparatory nchool. This school was located at 

Tonlcawa In IVOI, with the expressed puri>os« of preparing 

students for the university. A boiiurd of regents ccnaposed of 

the governor and two appointees eaercised control, A tax of 

two mills for two years (I*i^0I*I902) was voted for this school. 

Art. IV, Siiate normal School at Edaond. Bstablidxed in Ibf^ 

with the exclusive purpose of training in the art of teaching. 

Torty acres of land near Edaond was furnished free to the 

territory. The institution was controlled by a board of eduea* 

tlon, coaiposed of the state superintendent, the state treasurer 

and three others appointed by the governor. Art. V, i^ormal 

diplomas, rucli a diploma should entitle one to a state certi* 

flcate good for five years without examination. Art. VX, 

Horthwestem iromal. Established at Alva, Oklahoma, with the 

I. Snyder *s compiled Zraws of Oiaahema, Chap lOZ, 
pp lOiH) uo l69t>« 



37 



Bdaond normal hoard acting aa board of regents. $^000. 00 was 
appropriated. Art, VII, Southwestern Iionaal, The purpose of 
this school Is declared to ha the same as for Edaond and Alvki 
and the aaine hoard Is placed In control. Art, XI, Colored 
A^iotiltural and Tlorcial Bohool. Satuhllshed at Lengaton In 
IB97. ITormal, Uf^ricultural and raechanic art education to toe 
offered to hothi> sexes, A hoard of ret^ents was provided, 
eosqposed of the st&te eui'erintendont, utate treasurer and three 
others appointed toy the governor. Hegulatlons for admission 
were provided toy law, A tax of 3/tO mills In 19OI and 2/tO 
mills In 1902 was voted to support this sdiool. Art, XII, 
State Ac?Plcva>ural and mechanical Colloge, A grant contained 
In two acts of congress in It>62 and IO87 was accepted toy the 
state and the "Oklahosta Agrlcultur&l and Mechanical Colleg«" 
was located at Stillwater, Payne county, in 1890, An exi)eriinent 
st&tlon was provided in congiection with the college. Control 
was exercised toy a hoard uf recente composed of fftve memtoers, 
7hl8 was later changed to the hoard of agriculture. 

We have thus listed a torlef atostract of the educationlt 
legislation during the territorial period. At the time this 
affected only the western side, or Oklahoma Territory, hut, 
with the coming of statehood meaxy of these statutes were carried 
over into the new st&te, so they ultimately acsuiae soae signifi- 
cance for the east as well. 

To properly adainlster the education**! affa-lro of the 
new territory, a territorial supez'inj^endent was appointed and a 
school supervisar for each of the seven original counties. 



38 



The first superintendent reports great activity in the interest 

ef education, Which wau aanifest In the organisation of 

districts, huilding of schools, organisation of summer ineti- 

tutea for teachers, the eBtahlishnent of an educatiunal Journal 

and the organisation of a Territorial Teachers Association, 

After the fir at opening in IdB^, other tracts of surplus lands 

wore opened for settlement in 16*^1, Ib*^2, lijy^, Id^J and I^OI. 

This would indicate that the v.ork of organiaing new school terrt- 

tory was going on during the wliole first decade of territorial 

history. But in spite of the great increase in population 

during the ten years from I69I to I90I, the per cent of the 

scholastic population enrolled in i;he schools steadily increased- 

A comparison of statistics for r&91 and I90I shows the remark- 

I 
able growth in a single decawle. 



la?!. 


I?0I. 


61,032 


39^,531 


iil,335 


145,843 


9,5')5 


iit,9yi 


44 


bO 


456 


ii,503 


128.00 


$56.00 


24.00 


31.00 


(12,095.50 


ai, 347, 257. 00 


44,644.00 


1,207,395.00 


89 


393 


80 


600 


70 


240 



Whole population Oiaa. Tarr, 61,032 

Total Sclxolasitic Pop, 

Total Enrollmtint 

Per cent Enrolled 

irumber of Teachers 

ATorage Salaries, ^rsvles 

Average «:alaries, Peiaalec 

Total value school property $12,095.50 

Total receipts 

Snrollnent Btata U, 

Knrolltaont Edmond Nonaal 

Snrollnent A, and M. nollege 

X. Wilson, B. 7{., "Progress of Education in OkXahomm. 

Since lUii^", Okla, School iierald, June I9X^. 



39 



Tha great, chimgvs brought about in the western or 
OkIah<na Territory by the organic act, were at first little 
felt in the eastern Indian Territory. Ve have already noted 
that at the beginning of this period education was controlled 
alaost entirely by the Indians thoatselyes. Vhere formerly the 
schools were under strict aupenrieion of the gOTornnent, or, 
by cooenon consent, \.urned over to the missionaries, now the 
tribal systms were in Toll control, ve also obserred that 
education among ^'he Indi«una ha^a gone over ciore and more to the 
boarding school type, i'hls was expensire and tho tribal 
councils found it neeessax^ «/0 restrict attendance and make 
the boarding schools rory ael retire. Another definite tendency 
to be obserred in the Tarious tribal laws w«is che acimlssien 
of pi^ils to the 'l>riiiiary department" of thu various seminaries 
and academies, which were supposed to be strictly secondary 
schools. In the Cherokee nui^ion a\,tendanee was restricted even 
in the orphanage and d<iy schoolsi on the otherti hand the 
Choc taws Jaad reasonably strict ccaspuisory laws, 

'Jkho Indians were loi'x, in ciiarge of their own schools 

up i;o Feb. I, IoV^» When a general superintendent of all the 

Indian schools, J. 9. Benedict, was appointed. His first 

I 
report gives a concise suasaary of conditions. Extracua from 

this report are as follows. *Vor several ^ears pat»t e«iCh nation 

has had Its own school laws and school oi'i'iclals, the Cherokee 

nation having had control of Its own educational affairs for a 

longer period than ujciy other nation or tribe, i'lio laws and 

I. Annual heport of the United litates Indian Inspector 

for Ind, Territory, IovV» V I^. 



40 



ria«a of manag«m«nt haT« rarlftd aomewhat In th« a«Terttl n&tlona, 
but the dafecta, tha weak polnta, in each have 1»aan much alike. 
In each nation there are two cXaaaaa of achooXa, via: hoarding 
achoola or aeadamlea, and neighborhood schoola. 

"Vhila in eoaa inatanoaa attanpta have been made to 
eonTort the boarding aehaola into higher inatltutiona of learn* 
izMS» y^t on aecount of the faTorltiaoi auunifeated in tha 
aaleetion of pupils to attend thaati, scarcely any of them hava 
riaen above the rank of tha arerage ««H»on achool, and in 
nearly every inatanoe the prinary pvg;>lla now outnuaibar tha 
adTaoeed atudenta in each aeadaay* 

*Xt la not unuaual to find four or five children of 

one family in a boarding aehool, n^ile aocia eitizena who have 

reared large fasiiliea of children have never been able to get 

any of uhea aaaigned to the acadffinloa. In every nation theae 

boarding schoola have liaan regarded as favored inatltutiona by 

tha various boarda of education, Nioney jxae been laviahly apent 

in the erection of buildings, the purcliaaa of aiqppliea, and the 

•B^loyaen. of teachers and other eaployaes, vmile the neighbor* 

hood schools have suffered frea neglect, the Indian authorities 

have built no neighborhood school buildings at all, it being the 

S$n9Tt»l requlraaent that every neighborheodl mat furnish its 

own schoolhousa. Aa a natural raault of thla plan, the oountiry 

and village sc)|001houaes are cheaitly built, poorly furniahed, 

and Illy adapted to the purpoaea of a school.* 

I 
Mr Benedict outlined tha moat aerioua defecta of tha 

I. Annual Heport of tha U. S. Indian Inspector for 
Ind. Territory, I699, p 20, 



41 



Indian schools as arising, (X) fron incompot&nt supervision, 

(2) from Irrdgul&r attondanco, (i) froa financial mlsaaiwgt* 

laent, and (4) from nogXect of th« ISogXish languaga. At ths 

time of hid report only four of the twenty»8ix supsrintandsnts 

of tlio boaxdiiig schools wore coinpetont to toach tho coromon 

'branchos, yot thsy usually soloctod thoir own tsachars and often 

from tiiaong relatives or political friends, Parents seemed 

to have no eoneopi^ion of the iiaportaaco of regular atoendance 

Mid jicept thoir children out on the sli^test occasion. Tho 

praotiee of paying the superintendent of each school the 

appropriation mode for his school q[uarterly in advance, led to 

eztravaganoe and waute. Usually all the money would be gone 

he fore t)te last (j^uarter was reached and tho schools were run on 

credit with the expectation that the trihal council would make 

a ipecial appropriation to steet luhe deficiency. Under x^oso 

circumctances the schools were forced to pay the highest retail 

prices for all supplies "because of the risk the merchant assumed 

In getting paid at all. 

X 
Under needed iiaprovenonts, in addition to what night 

"be inferred fr oca the ahove, he mentions competent teachers, 

better sanitary conditions and numual training, 7ow teachers 

had had any opecial training in their worJc and the neglect to 

keep up the susiaor nontalo made it iiaposslblo for them to 

improve, The schools were generally located in v.he country 

where natural surroondiogo ahoald be conducive to health, but 

the (question of ordinary sanitation received so little attention 

X, Annuel Report of the U, S, Indian Inspector for 
Indietn Territory, lii^j, pp 20 and 21, 



42 



that slclcnesfl ««s Tory preralent and contagious dlsttases eoosacn. 

Slnoa tYm Indians auart remain an agricultural p«opl« liacauBe of 

their land clalaS| auuiual work and agriculture should he tau^t 

In the BChools; hut In spite of the zoany references made to 

manual labor In the tribal laws, this was alaost wholly ne gleet* 

ed* Schools having large farms often used condensed milk <And 

did without eggs and butter. 

Iiathor a significant statomont, which expresses the 

general sentinient of the time relative to Indian in&tltutlons, 

is contained In the •platform* of the »lialce Mohonk conference 

Z 
of "Prionds to the Indian". "The condition of affairs in the 

Indian terrltoiry demonstrates the futility of all efforts to 

secure adequately the civilisation of the Indians under the 

tribal relations against which we so earnestly protested. The 

complex questions arising from the relations of the Indian, 

negro and white man, the fact that non~citl£en v/hites alraady 

outnumber the Indian population In the proportion of two to one, 

and that tli« larg« white population is without schools, and, to 

a large extent, uncontrolled by law, render the question of the 

Indian Territory one of the gravest importance. The wonderful 

progress of the five civilised tribes, in the face of many 

diffioxiltles and the most unfavorable conditions, demonstrates 

the eapacity of ths Indians for a larger life and a better 

civilisation, and the time has cons when they are ready for the 

duties, reoponsibilities, and privileges of American citl«en- 

ship." 

I« seventh Annual Keport of The Lake Mohonk Conference, 
Lake MOhonk, Hew York, I<i39, p 109. 



♦5 



One of th« first eteps in Isrlnglng lOiout thA ch&ng« 

from iho control of tribal laws, onrolling tho Indians finally 

aa cltlxons of the stats and nation, w«i.a tho appointment of 

the goneral auperintendent for the Indian eehoola vhich we hare 

indicated. Complete control of the Indian eehoola was not '4 

assumed at once, t\x% eaae a Itttle later as we shall see, 

Possibly the most important act passed during this 

I 
period was ths *curtis Billf which was approved by Congress in 

I8$8, soction 14 of this act provides for the incorporation 

of towns of 200 or more population, according to the laws of 

Arkansas, A tax of not orer ii:^ could be levied for "school 

and other public pio'^^oees.* The Arkansas law provided that 

the town council could establish free schools and contains the 

usual details in rej^^ard to organising independent districts in 

towns and cities. Upon petition signed by twenty voters an 

election mi^t be called at which a board of education, composed 

of six citleens are to be cliosen to administer the schools of 

the town, Tull details regarding the organisation of this 

board, with a list of its powers and duties, are contained in 

the Arkansas statutes. 

The entire inadequacy of this law to the situation is 

brought to li^t by the report of the si;perlntendent for Indian 

schools for V)05, A few of the larger towns had taken advantage 

of the law, and through the aid of another sj^ecial act of 

3 
congress, which authorized thea te issue bonds for school 

I, Oklahoma Ked Book, vol I, p 5*1. 

2« Ksnsfield's Digest, Laws of Ark., Sec. 6256-6276. 

5. Repsrt of U, S, Indian Inspeetor, 1^05 » P ^5* 



44 



'bulldinsa, had succaeded In «r«ctlng uulaetsmtial structures 
and 9stabll8hlng good schools. In order to issue "bonds, 
hovsYor, the population must reach 1000 , and aany towns had 
not reached that stage • The soaller towns also had Tsry little 
taxable wealth, si nee much of tho real estate, evan in the fona 
of town lots, was non-taxahle hecause of inx^erfect titles* Uow 
hewttTer, In addition to the towns which had reached the roq^uired 
200 or 1000 popiaation, there were scores of eioakller Tillages, 
which, under the Curtis Act, were powerless to establish a tT99 
school s^'stem. It nust also he remembered that there were maajr 
proyperoua rural corsnTinities v^jiich could not raise a dollar to 
support schools, and this condition existed up to statehood* 

The curtlfi Act further provided that all tril^al laws 
should he aholished TIarch 4, 1906, on the (suppositiou ihat the 
territories would have acquired statehood b> Lhie tisxe and that 
all gorermaent of Indian affairs would regularly comtj under the 
authority of the state of Oklahoxoa, This would, of course, 
he instantly felt hy the schools, cince the tribal funds would 
not he arailahle after that date* Since it became plainly 
eyident that statehood cculd not be granted early enou^ to 

tako care of this situation. Congress pabsed a irtry interesting 

X 
and important act, April 26, I906, providing for the continua- 
tion of all tribal schools under the strict superTlsion and 
authority of the secretary of the Interior, "until such time as 
* public schools system shall have been establis ed under 
territorial or state government, and proper provision made 

I, Report of the U* S. Indian Inspector for the 
Indian Territory, 1907, PP 2? and 26. 



*5 



thereunder for the education of Indian childran." Sufficient 

funds, held for the trlhes hy the t:;overnaent , were placed at the 

dispoeal of the sccreteiry of 'che Interior for carrying out the 

proTlslone of the act. Under the act, then, the followinf; sums 

were nado 4*nnually avuilahle for the naintainance of schools 

in the fire civilized tribes, 

Cherokee ITation 1120,4-70,45 

creek nation 83,145.62 

Choctaw 'ration Iii4,9o7,i>J 

Chickasaw ITatlon 145,471.69 

Seminole 'ration 23.788.00 

Total 1497,847, :5I 

In addition to these sums, which coxild be expended 

only for Indian schools, two find a prospect for relief for the 

whites in the following appropriation. "For the laaintainance 

A rengthening, and eWLarglng of the tribal jjchools of the 

Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw, Chlchaoaw and Seminole nations, and 

■aking provision for the attendance of children of parents of 

other than Indian blood therein, and tho establishmont of new 

schools under the control of the departiaent of the Interior, the 

sum of three hundred thousand dollars, or ao much thereof as 

may be necessary, to be placed In tho hands of the Secretary of 

the Interior and be disbursed by him under such rulos and 

regulations as he may prescribe," The policy of the federal 

govarmaent is hero plainly indicated, which is to take complete 

charge of all education In th« Indian Territory until a stats 

I, Report of tho U, K. Indian Inspector for Indian 
Territory, I907, P 28. 



46 



sy9t«a could Im orgiuilaed which should 1m strong onough to 
provide tho noooooary fiiollltlos* 

In sifiKaing up tho oducatlonal fao lilt loo during the 
territorial period Just ooyered, we should fool justified In 
drawing the following general conclusions, 

(1) The Opening of Oklfc.h(Ma«k brought in thousands of whits 
settlors, Mho were left without organla»ea government for a 
year. We h&ve some evidence uf ttchools, the result of private 
enterpristty hut chore is no di^finite record of bloeue. 

(2) jk'ha or^iiiiic &cty fontiing OkXaiioam Into a territory^ 
entirely dletincS from Xndi.jka territory, authorised tho found- 
ing of schools aodeled after Ihoat: of fiebrauka, until a terrl* 
turial aytitem cauld be perfectad. '£n,ii fikct ttXao "reserved" 
sections Xu aad ^u for purposes of i». future land ^ra-ai!, for the 
common ;iChouls« 

(^) The new t&rritorlita la^islati^e becane very active In 
educat^ionol miakttera and tiie laws of vhe period exhibit very 
Interesting (.endancies. I'he cosuaon schools received great 
atten«.ion, ua is diiq;>liiic^ed in cho detailed laws regarding the 
estublijkiuaent of districts, I'hs training of teachers is con* 
sidered Important, sinoe three norauil schools were establlsbed* 
the veoA&iondl content of education wms recognised In &hs 
attention to the teaching of agriculture, domestic science and 
the founding of Agricultural colleges* '£h.& compulsory laws 
enacted during this period are second to none; are, in fact, 
in advance of laany, particularly in the provii^ion for paid 



47 



aoholarBhips to th« mub of widowed mothers. There Is a etrorig 
tendeney &o go Into great detail, as Is abova in the laws 
regarding ethics, hmane education, Yiriseetion, eto. Then 
there eeeae from tho first to be a definite tcmdency toward 
establishing an elaborate sui&« school system. This Is 
evidenced by the fuct that seven institutions were launched 
before statehoodi one unlTeralty, one university preparatory 
sohool, ahxt>@ norsiutl schuuiu and %wo e^rxouiiural schools, wMte 
and colored. On t.h« whole, the amount oi le^^ialatloa during 
this period aould argue for a live interest in eductition, 
entirely atixdo from any rererence to itne comment oi ii^* 

(4) The abuses arising iroca the management of the mdlan 
scheojbs under thexr own tribal laws, led to the appolntinent of 
a general euperlntondont for Indian achools by the gOTernment 
in lo^^. His attitude appeared \.o be, a^ flribV, one of super- 
vision and co-operation. l,'<)^t,itr ^hn gOTornaient took complete 
eontrol of all sehools. 

(i>) Xhe curvis Aoi*, pai^ued in lu^o, brought relief to the 
Whites Wiio lived in towns and cities, but did aot affect the 
conditions obtaining in the Tillages und&r kOo in liOpuiation, 
nor in the rxu'al eomauni&ies. 

(o) '£hB Act Of congress of April <£0, IV0«>, in making 
•omplete charge of the Indian schools, also made mi annual 
appropriation of 4^00,000.00, which becsme available for the 
edueatlon of children or people of "other than Indian blood." 



46 



Statghood period . 

Statehood for Oklahoaui eame only aftar a long 0tru£g2.« 
which was no doubt prolonged and intenalfied by t^noae who vlahod 
te naiie two atatee out of the two terrltoriea« There was quite 
naturally a great deal of rivalry ■between two aectiona ao widely 
separai.ed in ^raaition, populcttion and natural Interesta* This 
sentiment was continually agitated by a class of politicians 
Who hoped T.O see two states actaitted, thereby increasing the 
niiaber of political offices available under the new governoteiit. 
congress, Just as determined to admit l>ut one state, forced the 
political leaders to unite and draft a single constitution. 
8udh a conclusion, however, coiad not prevent both sections 
freai attsapting to derive the greatest possible advantage fron 
the newly organtated government. The present state superintend* 

r 

ent sums up tho situation well when he says,* "At this critical 
monent the atats had a total population of 1,412,000 people, 
including whites, Indians, negro^^ and outlaws. As has already 
been shown, ahe had eatablishsd a system of free public schools 
and had located five state institutions, while the federal, 
government and the lalssionAries were still trying to educate the 
blanket Indiana. In the e&ueitern section of the country the five 
civilised tribes, with a popiaaj»ion of approximately ^£00,000, 
were jealous of their own school system, and some 500,000 white 
settlers, with their kOO municipal schools, were anxious to 

I. Wilson. JK, K« progress of Sducation in Okla^cna 

Since lbd9«, OJaa. School Kerald, Juno, ryi2. 






draw support from th« taxable Talu«s of thm wootora section 

as on« of the boneflts of statshood. Th« logislaturs loeatod 

a nuatbor of stato Institutions on the oast side of the new state 

In order that It alglit ehare eqiually with the west side. The 

federal gOTernment and the missionaries were still carrying on 

their educational work among the fire clTlllsed tribes. The 

difficult question whl<& faced the new si:^erlntendent was the 

one of cementing these ▼arled fems of educational endeaTor 

Into one hamonlous and effeotlTO system under the laws of 

the new state," 

X 
the IbMbling Aet of CoagreaSy passed June 14, I^C^, 

glTlns eca^lete directions for the formation of the new state, 

contained soae Interesting referencee to education. Section 

7 formally grants sections X<» and ^^ which had been proTlously 

reserved by the organic act, together with any Indeaanlty lands 

la lieu of these seetlone, to the expert of the coaiBon schools 

of the state. In lieu of Indian lands which could not be 

grwited, congress raade a cash grant of $5,000,000.00 to font 

a permanent school fund for the state, Until the state made 

prevision to recelTo and aan«#i this fund. It should remain In 

the United States Xreasurery at i^ Interest. section 6 set 

aside section li in the Cherolcee Outlet, the Toideawa Indian 

reservatioa and the Pawnee Indian reserratlon and such other 

lands as may be opwued, to the support of state Institutions 

i^ppertlonod as follows: 'Xo the \miverslt)r and the university 

preyarato]^ school at I'onkawa, one thlrdi 1.0 the state normals 

I. Oklahena Hed Book, vol I, pp 52 to ^^, 



99 



ostaiblished or to !>« tstabliahed, on« third} to ths agrioultural 
and moeh&nieal oolXogo and the colorod agrieulttaral and normal 
school, on« third. Section 9 prorldea that the land set apart 
for the oosnaon schools may be sold t* the highest bidder, 
preference being glren to the lessee, or leased for not longer 
thMi ten years, section 10 proTldos much the same for the 
university lands, section II provides that an flOBOunt e^ual to 
$^ Of the sale of all public lands ia the new state be paid by 
the gOTernsient into the pemanent fund for cesaaon schools, 
section 12 provides that in lieu of certain ImmIs i9t internal 
tBiproTe»ents and swang^ lands granted other new states, the 
following grants be made to specific institutions: To the 
University of 0]a»h<»is» ^50,000 acres} to the University 
Preparatory School at Tomeawa^ 150,000 acresi to ths Agri- 
cultural and ..'^eclUMiical college, 250,000 &eres» to the colored 
Agricultural and Noraal School, 100,000 acres; and to the 

aernal schools, 300,000 acres. 

Z 
In the new constitution, which was fomed in accord« 

■aee with the provisions of the enabling act, we find Article 

XI, entitled "State and School Lands", accepting all grants made 

by the government, with a pledge to keep the permanent fund 

inviolate and replaee any funds which mi^t be lost through 

liiilliMliMiMlt. The state further provides that the permanent 

fund is to be invested either in first nortgages on good farm 

land, Oklahoaa state bonds, OJaahnaa eounty bonds, school 

district bonds or United States bonds in the order named. 

X. Oklahoaa Red Book, vol Z, pp 82, 85, and 64. 



Artlol•/^^dealB exclusively with •Education", This article i» so 

eonolB0ly stated and has boon bo fundamantal in later legisla# 

tlon that I reproduce it here in full. 

section I, The Legislature shall estahllsh and siaintain a 

system of free public schools wherein all the children of the 

state n&s he eduoated. 

Section 2. The Legislature 8>iall provide for the estahlishment 

and support of institutions for the oare and education of the 

deaf, dumh and 'blind of the state, 

section ^. separate schools for white and colored children 

with like acocaodation shall he provided hy the legislature 

and impartially aaintained* The word "colored children* as 

used in this section shall he construed to mean children of 

African descent « The term "white caiildren" shall include all 

other children, 

section 4, The legislature shall provide for the compulsory 

attendance at acne public school, unless ether means of eduea* 

tlon are provided, of all the children in the state who are of 

sound mind and body, between the ages of eight and sixteen 

yeurs, for at least three months in each year. 

Section J^, The supervision of instruction in the public schools 

shall be vested in a board of education, whose powers and duties 

shall be prescribed by law. The superintendent of publlo 

instruction shall be president of this board. Until otherwise 

provided by law, the (governor, secretary of state and attorney 

general shall be ex«>officio members, and with the superintendent 

eM9«se the l>oard of education. 



5a 



Section ju, TlKt XdglsXature ah&ll provido for u uniform tsysitcm 
Of text books for l;h& cocimon schoola of tho st&t«« 
Section 2« '^^^ logielftture siiiitJLl provide for the teaciUng of 
thtt elaioonts of agrioulture, horticultur«i, stock feeding and 
diMiiestlc Bcienoe in the common schools of the Btato, 

Ihe oonstii'UtlonuI conTentlun divided the state into 
75 countiee, of which 41 wora In the e*iiitern part formerly 
known aa Indii^n Territory* As we h&vo seen, t}ie,bti 41 counties 
had no achoola for wMto children out&lde the cainicip&lities 
which had reached over 200 population, The nev^y elected county 
superintendents In these coxmties were Instructed by the state 
superintendent to divide the«»e counties in^o school districts 
and call for an election of achool hoards. 

Ho« it is Interssting to recall i;hat at this aume tins 
* aore or less cociplete systeci of schools watt in operation In 
this very section, under the supervision of the general super- 
intendent of Indian schools. Suring the first year of statel^od 

Z 
the reports of \.his office show that a t;otal of X42Z day 

schools virere niaiatalned. Of i/hsse ^57 ^9r» supported by tribal 

funds, (365 from Ihe oon4:;ressional appropriation and 199 trtm 

"surplus court foes", Xhese tjchools accomodated 12,705 Indians, 

54-,65J whites, and 11,55** ne«jxoes, or a total of 79»I7^ pu^-Us, 

Since there had been no rural schools in the eastern section ^p 

to vhis time, these day schools were particularly welcoao. 

}|aturally a little friction aro;:.e betwoen the local bocurds under 

the government-Indian system and the newly elected district 

!• Beport of the connlssioner to the Five civilised 
Zrtbos, liO^, p (>0, 



55 



boards under tho nov/ etate system, vshlch from now on ahovild 

control, very soon, howtsver, all such differencee were oettle4 

and & spirit of co-operation seesied to preyall which iu to be 

commended. The superTleore of the Indian Bchools permitted 

county superlntendenta to hare acceas to their recorde in the 

X 
work of organization, With the right to levy taxes In rxural 

eoomunitlee, a marvelloua activity for building was at once 

aftistf«et. The first atate Buxerintendent roportt. tnat over 

2800 district school buildings were erected during the first 

two years of statehood. 

Many were of the opinion that now the stii-te could 
manage its own schools without any further appropriation from 
the federal government, but thifc was not in the leaot true. 
The resources of these new districts were exhausted hy the time 
their buildings were raloed. Owing to the amount of non- taxable 
Indian lands, they would have nothing left for the maint&inanee 
of these schools, How the government was responsible primarily 
for the welfare of the many Indian children, but also dared not 
neglect the children of the whites who found thttsselves power- 
less to raise sufficient ftmds because of the government mandate 
that Indian lands du.re not be taxed, Ve find then the moa^t 
intetesting situation of control passing trom the government to 
the state, but where it is still necessary for a definite 
system of cong* easional appropriations to be made, In order 
that the system outlined by the state might be ade<iuately 
maintained, 

Gradually since that time this government educational 



5* 



fore* haul 1>«ftn diminiBh«d, auid the efforts of thoee who rflmaln 

are directed toward eneoureelug Indians to attend the public 

•choolB and extendias support to such eoheoXs aa could not 

conduct a sufficient texu otherwise. In extending such aid 

the |{»iNNriiaMmt officers ayoid all attesipts to influence in any 

way the iatemal adnlaistratlon of the schools, leaving all 

sudi questions to the state. Ve have seen that the Oklaheoa 

constitution placed the Indian on an equal statiui with the 

White so far as education is concerned end the attendance of 

Indians and whites at the eame school is being encouraged. The 

Indian children seem to l>e orerooBiing their natural timidity 

and in accemplishnent eoogpare farorably with their paie-faee 

school mates. Such things are noticed and conmiented on hy the 

govemzaent officials who contend that "the public school is tiaxi 

I 
best way out for the Indian*. 

In Ijli the «>uinual aj^propriation Of $300,000.00, which 

had been discontinued pending an investigation by the supresMi 

court, wiis re-established. Aid to the day schools which were 

attended b> Indi«uas was at once continued. Incorporated towns 

•Old cities were not .bided except by a comparatively tua&U per 

oai4ta payment, but oany other t dl strict tcnas were extended 

fren two or four aonthtt to seven aonths. Gradually now as 

alletfia&nts are ooaipleted and Indian l&nds ore incSL uded in the 

tax lists, the congressional appropriation will be withdrawn. 

The Indian boarding schools, superviEsed by the 

govenaaeni and maintaiutid entirely b;^ tribal trust funds, huve 

I. ixeport of the comaiissiouer to the rive civilised 
Tribes, I9II» P d4. 



55 



be«n iisproTCd and are being continued. Just what th« ultimate 
fate of those institutions will be It Is Interesting to con- 
jecture. It woiad be ccoiparatlvely easy to establlsli thes on 
permanent foundations held In trust by the government. Howerer, 
as the Indians bec«»a* more fully awalgawsted there will be no 
necessity for separate Indian schools as such. A ttibultiteA 
list showing the status of these schools In June I913 follows. 



^ 



Total Average net 



school a . Ear oxidant Att, ;;;3cpuadlture . 

Choctaw iiat< ion- 
Armstrong iale Acadcny 120 104 ^ii5II.l5 
Jones Male Acadomy I7i ^$ <iO,755,59 
Vheolocic Femaltj Acud. 89 82 I^f/90.46 
TusJcahoua Pemale ACbud. 148 10'/ Ii^»V55«0$ 

Chlchasaw ilatlon- 

Bloonifield seminary 98 71 I4,i?lt>,82 

Colliny Institute 73 47 14,^44.99 

So^nole "".itlon- 

^uOicusuicey Acu^dejuy IIO 80 17,^07.66 

Creek IJatlon- 

Suchee Boarding School IJO lOii 24,^02.76 

Eufaula « " I09 bO 17,^0^*90 

IlUj^aka » " 116 '/L Ib,7*:4.0I 

Tulluhasoe ■ 97 75; I2,49u,o7 

Cherokee yat ion- 
Che rokeo Orphiin School 71 bO Ib.Io*j.I<^ 

Total I3i,-4 999 4219,<^l5.9ti 

I. ioijort of uomaiiisflionur to the Five C-i-viliiied 
Tribes, June, 30, I9II, P ^5. 



54 



In turning our attttntlon to the •dueation of tli« at&t« 

A« a wholtt during tiila period, we would uatur&lly ejiq>ect «. 

continuation of the policies inau^uratod by the territorial 

laws, based on the prorl alone of the enalsllng act and the new 

constitution. The first Xegi&lature placed the laanafienent of 

all school funds and lands in the hands of the CCKamlesionere 

I 
of the Land Off ice , cosiposed of the gOTornor, secretary of 

•t ate, state auditor, president of the board of ai^lciilture 
and the state sgperintendent. Fuii details were given as te 
the security and loaning of the lUnds« She appertionaent of 
the preoeeds of this ftnd was to be 2aade en the basis of the 
enuaeration of children of sdheol age, tbe cmoiessl oners te 
make all regulations. Incene from the frrajnt of eeetion^was 
apportioned enoag the Tarious institutions as follows: fhe 
one third granted to the Uniyersity and the University Pre- 
paratory sohoel at Tottkawa was i^portloaed 5/j to the UnlTerslty^ 
and i/6 to the preparatory sehoel* The ene third granted te 
the agrieultural schools was apportioned lAo to the colored 
A. and H, se^eel at Langs ton, and 9A0 to the A. and U, College 
At Stillwater. She one third granted to the neroal schools was 
apportioned equally among theau 

sesie Aight changes were aiade in the laws for the 
9tmaa s<aiOols up to the session of Z9I3* «hen a completely 
revised general code of sdhool law was presented by the etato 
superintendent and paseed by the legislature, uasy of the laws 
already referred to are ftoabodled in this code and the laws are 

Z. Snyder, compiled Laws of Oklahema, Chap. lOZ. 

2. Laws of Oklahoaa, Session of I9I5. 



$7 



t^vipBd under th« following :toAdia«a: St&to Bujiorintendont, 
county suporitttondontft, Sistrlot schools, Joint Bitstrlots, 
Dl strict Offio«ra*Maotings-Financ«a, Indopendont Districto- 
Citioa and Towns, Consolidatod Slotriots, Union aradod Sehoolo, 
Siholsstie conous, Agrieultural and Industrial Bdueation, 
Hormal Inatututaa and Xoachars* Training Coursas, Kindargartans, 
Ca^puisor^r Education, Examination of Taachara, saparata echools 
for Racas, Transfar of i>upii8 to otiiar Schools, Misoallanaous, 
Without mjtjcing a eoapleta analysis of this coda, it appaure 
that for tha most part it is a cot!Q}|la\;ion of laws proTiously 
in forca, Wh«r& Gxitmti9» iiava baan ntada thoiy ara comparativaly 
unio^ortant, SOos, h«»wavar, ara arousing considarahla diucussioT) 
a/id im^ naad rttvision at vha nazt sasslon of tha lagislature, 
Xhfl nual»i»r ot adciiitioaal stata institutions founded 
"by tha now stfi».ta at ones attracts our attention. ¥a hsTa saan 
that &€rea stata schuols iiad been astabliahad ttndar tarriterial 
la«<ti, (.as univdrsit>, «^tt uiii¥i»rai.ty fr<^aratory school, thraa 
liorauas and two Agricultural collagas. Naturally thosa vara 
all in th« w^&t&rn pait ol' tha atata, so tha aquivalant of suoh 
institutions w«ra danuwia«»a xn tn« eaiat. In responsa to this 
daioatid, an aaiiteorn fraparatury school was astablirtiad at 
Claraaora, and thraa 8ta.'6e normals, tha Horthwastam at 
XMila<iuaii, tha £ast central at Ada and tha soutiiwestarn at 
Durant. For tha first 4>4t>,0iX>,00 was appropriated to purchase 
the Charoicaa yaasle seminary building at Tahlaquah, #X00,000«00 
was appropriated for Ada and 4k.^,0iK)^0O for I3urant. 'Xhu purpose 



58 



of th«a« thr«« schools was doclarsd to bo th« ssas as that In 
foundinfi ths contral State Nonnal at Bdaond. 

A school of nines and oMttalurgy was located at 
Tllburtoot for the piurpose of teaching mining engineering. 
#l5t000.00 was appropriated. A clllege for Girls was located 
at Chlclcasha by an impropriation of $X0O»0O0.00. The Panhandle 
Agrloultujral Institute for the banifit of the three counties 
Cimarron, Texas and Beaver was established, appropriating 
^I<^, 000.00 for biiildings, «^ ,000.00 for raaintainance for the 
lyeio- ending I^XO, and «^V000.00 for vhe year ending in I9II. 
This school wad to be of secondary grade and located on &0 acres 
of land. «>:>0»000.00 was appropriated for a school for the deaf 
located at Suiiphuri nor were the colored deaf, blind and orphans 
oeglectod for we find an appropriation of ^:)^', 000.00 for a school 
to be locatod a% 'xaft« 

Durinij; the extraordinary session of I^IO, appropria* 
tione wore made to the following schools. 

Seiiool fur th& Hind at :^rt Gibson, #20,000.00 
Southwestern Utabe liorjQial, 10,000.00 

ijouthea^tern state formal, 10,000.00 

iiastera preparatory ijchoul, i^6, 000.00 

college for Girls, 59,000.00 

School for the Deaf at Siaphur, 100,000.00 

colored .school for Deaf, Blind cc Orphans, 3^,000.00 
last central state iTorcial, 03,096.00 

I. Lstws of Okluaena, XVIO. 



59 



During the entir* period of stateliood the number 
of state institutions Incrsatted from seven to twsnty-flTS, 
Xoc&ted in evciry section of the state. The educational 
Xegislatlon of the last two sssslons, I910-II and I9Ii, 
concerns itself largely with appropriations for these schools. 
Xo hotter understand tlxs oagnitude of keeping up such a system, 
we hare IXA ed the appropriations for thess two sessions in 
th<3 following table: . . . 



t»0 



Jnirerslty of OklAhon*, 



Agrieultxural and ittolumleal coii^gt, 
StUlwatev. 



colored Agricultixral *nd HormAl School , 
Uungston, 



iiurry A£rleultur»l school, 
fishOMlBgd* 



Conner 8 Agriciiltural School , 
Ooodwoll. 



?anhanAl« Agrlovatural school, 
OOoArall. 



CiQcron Agricultural ;:^chool, 
Lurton. 



♦ 77,2&9.35 
125 f 000, 00 
150,000.00 
150,000.00 



170,950.00 
112,500.00 
127,500.00 



5,200.00 



14,570.00 



Cenacll Agricultural ScAMMl* 

I iJH^lToiOMtami^. Dccionc of 19IO-II and IVI3. 
• iSSx LaSTsSSSi. »nd Appropriation.. 



Purpono 

Buildings. 
NOV Law Building. 
8. and U« Z912. 
8. and U, I913. 



Buildings. 
Buildings. 
S, and M. I912. 
S. snd M. iyi3. 



B^ttipaont. 



Building. 



Buildings. 



Appropriation^ 



$I50,009«00 

0,00^.00 

160,000.00 

7,5oa.oo 

7,500.00 

13,950.00 

35,000.00 



Purpcss . 

8* and x. 191^ 
8. sad M. (Seo ^t) 
8. and U. I915. 
Bxt«nsion Work I9I4. 
Bxtsnsien Work Ivl5« 
Bopairs. 
Hsat and Powsr Pltmt. 



112,000,00 
120,000.00 



8. and U. I914, 
8. and M. X9I5. 



70,000.00 
0,000.00 



S. and ri. IVI4-I5. 
Bnluxging and hspairs, 



15,000.00 
14,000.00 



S. end :■:, I9I5. 
8. and ii. I9l5. 



13,000.00 
13,000.00 



8, - u . I914. 

8. «uivi . 1915* 



ko,500.oo 

14,000.00 
14,000.00 



Building and BiuipBont 
8. and M. 19X4. 
8. and U. I915. 



14,000.00 
14,000.00 



8. and U. I9I4. 
8. and M. 1915. 



I4,00a.00 
14,000.00 



8. and M. I 914. 
8. aad M. I9l5. 



Jf»tc 



,. .8. and E.- sigttifiM SW^'t and Maintain-ios. 



61 



School 
St*to School for tho Blind, 
Ifuokogoo, 



control stato Sojna»l, 
Bdaond. 



MortlHTootorn stato Honnal, 



Southwostom Stato iroraia« 
VtoathorforA. 



uorthoaotom stato NonuO., 
SahloquAh. 



Saot contral stato VonuO.* 
Ada. 



Southwostom 8t*to HonBOl, 
3)>arant« 



UnlToroity Proparatorj sehool. 



APProprliLtio»« 

# ^,000.00 
30,000.00 



7,600.00 
25,000.00 

45,000,00 
45,000.00 



6,951.22 

40,000.00 
40,000.00 



4,3t»3.o5 
15,000.00 

40,000.00 
40,000,00 



3,376.25 

30,000.00 
30,000.00 



2,315.00 
30,000.00 
30,000.00 



14,903.98 

3,172.33 

30,000.00 
30,000.00 



35,000*00 
35»000.00 

TOnlcawft, 
I, LAwa of Oklohoaa, S«Mlono of Z9Z0-ZI and Z9I3, 
SCO Zndox tmdor •sehoolo" and •ipproprlatlons*. 



Purpooo . 

S. and :t. 1^12. 
8. ond M. lUi. 



BOfioloncloa. 
B. and M. It^l2. 
S. and M. 1^1;^. 
Bulldiaga. 



Doflcienoifts. 
B, and M. Z9Z2. 
8. and M. Z9I3. 



Bofieloncioo. 
BqulpBttit. 
8. and M. ZVZ2. 
8. and M. Z9I3. 



Bofloiencios. 
8. and M« Z9Z2. 
8. and K. Z9Z3. 



Dofieloncioo. 

8. and U. Z^Z2. 
8. and if. Z913. 



Soficioncios. 
Bofieioncioo. 
8. and M. Z9Z2. 
6. and 2£. Z9Z3. 



8'« and If. Z9Z2. 
8. and U. Z9Z3. 



APProo 



rooriaJtionB 

mi- 



I 65,000.00 
37,000.00 
35,000.00 



Purpoae . 

Building and ]{«fcting. 
S. and U. I9I4. 
8. and U. I'^I5. 



42,000,00 
4^,000.00 



8, and }{, IVI4, 
8. and M, Iyi5, 



2?,500-.00 
2?, 500,00 



22,5oa.oo 

22,500.00 



22,845.00 

22,^45.00 

4,000.00 



2d,500.00 
2d,500.00 



23,500.00 

23,500.00 

3,000.00 



25,000.00 
25,000.00 



8. and U. 1^14., 
8. and H. IVI5. 



&■• and M. I9I4. 
8. and n, IVI5, 



8. and M. I9I4. 
8. and U. I915. 
Boat and Hepaira. 



8. and U. I9Z4. 
8. and U, W5» 



8. and M. I914. 
8. and M. I9Z5. 
puraaoo. 



8, and U» I9I4. 
8. aai M. IVlb. 



VOtos- "S. and Jl." oignifloo Support and iiaintainanoo. 



School 
S»at«rn Unlraraity Preparatory School, 
Claromor*. 



M>Droprit^.i 
!vl6»tT 



una 



I 11,450,00 
30,000,00 
30,000,00 



Induatrlai coii«g« for Girls, 
Chlolouihib, 



5,ii00,00 

4, 26$, 00 

30,000,00 

30,000,00 



Inflt i tut Ion for Tooblo Mindod, 
Bnid. 



fe,000,00 

23,^00.00 

20,000.00 

155,000.00 



celorod Sehool for orphans. Blind sa4 Boaf, 
laft. 



2l,ouo,75 
29,800.00 



Stato sohool for iho Dsaf , 
sulphur. 



10,000,00 

l35,0':x).oo 
$0,000,00 
50,000,00 



Stato school of Hinos, 
Wilhurton, 



o5?000.00 
25,000,00 
25,000,00 



Btato Orphan HOao, 
Pryor, 



113,730.00 
54,000,00 
50,000,00 



Stato training Sohool for Boys, 
Paula valley. 



7^,000.00 
22,750,00 
22,750.00 



Z. Laws of Oiaahoasa, Baosions of Z9I0-ZI and 1915, soo 
Zndox under •Schools* and ■Apprcpriationo", 



62 



Purpoao . 

Equipment. 

S, and U. 191 <i, 

S, and M. 1913. 



Approprtationa 



I 22,200,00 

22,200.00 

1,007.55 



Purpoae . 



r., IVI4. 



8, and "J. 

8, and \?, Ivl5. 

Bafioianclea. 



Iraprove:nonta, 
Doficienclaa. 

S', and M. 191 2. 



S, and 



■■'f. 



I'>13. 



50,000,00 

07,200.00 

21.72 



Heat and Dormitory, 
8. and M, IvI4-It?. 
*3sqpanaa«". 



imficlenciea. 
S. and y, I912, 
S. «id 'i. I913, 
Building and Bquij^nont. 



Doficienoioa. 

S. and M. 1912-15, 



6, 000,00* 
♦3,3!i2.00 



Daficiencioa. 

S. and U, IVI4-I5. 



Dofioiancioa. 
Buildings. 
S, and U, I912, 
8. and n, 1913. 



00,000,00 

59,100.00 
50,105,00 



Buildings. 

S. and M. VA^. 

S. and M. IVI$. 



Buildings, 

S, and M, I9I2, 

S, and M, I9I3. 



4,dod.99 
24,250.00 
24,250,00 



Doficianclea. 
liand. 8. and U, I9I4>, 
S, and M. I915. 



Buildings, 

S. and U. I9I2, 

8, and i2« I9I3. 



12,044.93 

I,7jI.OO 

41,300,00 

41,300,00 



Baficienoiaa, 

Land. 

B. iund M. 191^. 

8, and U, I9X^* 



Buildings. 

8-. and M, 19 1 2. 

S, and M, 191 3. 



* Approaciaats. 



NOto:- "S. and M,- id gnifios support and Maintainanco. 



o3 



In addition to the aboye appy«prl«tluna from th« 

gen«riftl treasury of thu stata, thtt apportlonmsata of tho Inoono 

of thtt «a ction 13 fund" and the "now College fund* were mad* 

I 
during the same tlae aa follows: 

section 13 JSind. 

school. I9I0-1I. 19X5, 

University $21,731.2$ *«>7,I>00,00 

Prep, school (Tonkawa) 13,05^.75 40,500.00 

A. and M. College 51,295.00 V7,«i00.00 

col, A. und K. School 3t*7^*00 ro.tJOO.OO 

llonaals (each) 5,795.00 lti,000.00 

new college yund . 

Univerolty I9,0(X>,00 19,500^00 

Prep, school (Tonkawa) 10,500.00 5,500.00 

A. and H. Collego 19,750.00 o, 750. 00 

col. A, and If. School 6,750.00 3,300,00 

Nomals (each) Z, 500.00 1,500,00 

Eren a superficii*! cojaparison of the amounts derlTod 
from the permanent school funds and lands with the general 
appropriations neeesiiary for malntalnctnoe would reveal the faet 
that these schools are, and will continue to rexaain, a very 
heavy hurden to the taxpii;;, ers of the state. 

We have said that the last two sessions of the state 
l3glslature passed a great many appropriation bills in support 
of the state schools. However there was other educational 

Z. Laws of Oklahoma, sessions I9I0»II and I9I3. 

See Index under "Appropriations", 



64 



l«glslatloa during this period and p«rtie\aarly In th« later 
•eeslons, which au»evai«ft gre«4 loq^ortanoe In a conelder&tlon 
of Okltehoaa*a school systo!!!. The first state le(:i&li<i.ture 
provided for a text Tioolc ooBDBlssloni eoga^esed of the gOYomor 
and six others i^poiated Isy hla, who were to make the adoption 
of text book* for flTO year periods. City dlstrlotB were 
Halted In the amount of their Xevy to five mllla, unXeue sub* 
mltted to a TOte of the people. An exeiae hoard in each eoiinty, 
ooa^oaed of the county cleric, county treasiureri coixnty Jud^, 
county superintendent and eoAnty attorney, may roTlew the levy 
and aake such erumges as they desire after a thoroui;]i canvass 
of the annual budget. This law has made ecnslderahle trouhXe 
in the citlea, for It practically robs the board of education 
of its power in making a levy, 

During the sssalsn of Ulth-II^ in addition to ths 
appropriations Hated in che above table, we find the following: 
Chapter 142 makes an appropriation of ^^5000.00 for the purpose 
of erecting a status of Bequoyah, the Inventor of the Cherokee 
alphabet, at Washington. Chap, Z59» ^llowa the counter auper- 
intendent to hire one aasisstant At $50*00 per month and allows 
expenses for only one vi:;;it to each school per year. Chap. 47 
contains an act to esteibllah a state board of education, and 
here we find one of the most radical departures. The board 
^akall cond at of seven aenibera, including the state aaperlnten* 
dent, who shall be preeldent of the board, and six othera 
appointed by the (/overnor, with the advice and consent of the 
senate, for a term of six years. The board of education created 



<>5 



by thle act b«««m« th« Xegal auoccsiior of f oujr1;r«ttn other boar<A» 
of regonts in tbo ittAto, Inoludlns ttw toxt book connlssioB, 
and ooBtrolo «!! at»to IniitltutloBS «m^t tht agricva i.ux«i 
tthools, uSiioh aro atllX undor XTm control of the otato board 
•f agrioultur*. 

Chap. I^i ostabliahod tho offioo of stata la«««tor 
of uchouia fixlug tho salary at «>X600.00 i>uct4 e^onaoa. Tho 
inspootor is to Tioit tho rural, town and eity achoola in tho 
atato, adTiso with aeheol officiala and mako reports to tho 
atato ot^orintondsnt, bi^ whom ho is appointed. Chap. 1X2 
contains an act creating a. fund for tim oncouragootant and siq^yojrt 
of coneolidi^bOd aChoola in the eta&o. All proceeds froa tho salt. 
or lease of aectiona 35 in orear county aro to make up this 
fluid. Any conaolidatod school, which is maintained for not 
less than six isonths in tho yeax^ os^loya at leaut tliree 
toaci»rs, has not fewer than 1^0 scholastic pupils residing in 
tho district, has a eonfortablo school builAiag of not laas 
than three ro<ma and "hixa furnis/iod free transportation vnmv 
this was necesaary, may draw from the fund one half the cost 
of their building. This amount dare not sxcoed li^^OO.OO for 
any one district. Ch^. 95 prorides that tht state hour a of 
affairs shall make an estimate of the needs of the state 
schools prior to each session of the legislature. This is now 
listed Miong tha du:ftios of the new state board of education. 
Chap 122 proYldes for tho transportation of all children in 
o«asolidated districts who liiro over If miles from the school. 



66 



During th« session of 1913, In addition to the 
appropriation bills, wo find th« following: Chap. 57 looatos 
th0 school for the blind penumentljr at Ifuakogee, which was 
formerly at 1^>rt Gibson. Chap. 15 appropriates ^100,000.00 
f^om tlui newly ereated Union Consolidated Sehool Blstxlot Tund, 
and places it In the hands of the state superintendent for 
iismedlate uue. (so f^ir Uie Isuad hud nut :.et been d> Id) 
Chap 6Z tjfbollMied county hl^ echools and provided for the 
disposal of the property by a Tote of the people. Chap. Ill 
appropriated #10,000.00 for the support and Bialntalnanee of 
the Cornish Oxiphan Hosne, a private Inetiltutlon, for the years 
191^-15. Chap. lOI contains an aot ^^sajclng available* the 
"Hew college* and "Section I^" funds to the etate Institutions 
to be benefited by these grants. Chap. 92 contains an act 
prohibiting hl^ school fraternities, sororities, or other 
secret organisations. Penalties on the pupils, may be 
suspension or eacpulsioni on aeatbers of the board of education, 
a fine of ;;^25.00 to $100. 00» on such as encourage these 
orgaaisations, a fine of i;2^'.00 to 1^00.00. Chap. 202 appro- 
priates #10,000.00 for the proper education and care of wayward 
and incorrigible girls. 

Ve have briefly exa.-alned the greater part of all 
educational legislation paaeed during the statehood period. 
TUeee laws In general follow along the same llnei) that we 
noticed in connection with territorial legislation. However, 
fid. nee the later laws in nearly every eaee carry repealing 
measures of all cttuflictlng legislation, they naturally bae<His 



67 



tta« foundation of the preaont syatem* AXl •arller lawa ao« 
becom* algnlfictmt only &s a means of tracing tendencies. 

In suBB&arising the legislation of this period then, 
ws can distinguish the following elezaents as contributing 
largely toward aaking up the Oidahaaa systtts: 

Z« A large penaanent school fund; money and land estiiaiated 
at a vttlue of if4O,000,000.00* 

2, The ordinary state and county organisation, consisting 
of u state OAperintendent, state board of education, county 
superintendents and locsl boards; also independent city district^. 

3, A highly centralised authority vested in the state 
board of education, which has abscGLute control of the ontire 
state system* 

4-. An elaborate systeiB of twenty-five state Institutions 
uiade up of the following units: One state university, a±x stats 
aormsl schools, two agricultural colleges (white and colored), 
six district agrioitltural schools of a^conduxy grade, two 
university preparatory ;:^oh.ools, one school of nines, one 
industrial college for twirls, uchool for the deaf, bchool for 
the blind, school for tiie feeble aindod, reform school for boys, 
and two orphan homSB (white and colored). 

^. Compulsory laws operai.lTe between the ages of ei^t 
and sixteen, of which the time of attendance was recently 
increased frwoa three to six aonths per year. 

0. A number of successfully operated comsolldaled schools, 
which reoeive aid trosi the state, based on a separte land grant. 



OU 



7. A unifittd ayetam of text booka, ooutba of study » and 
nvwmnnf to atwrtdticrdlaw and classify aXX hX^ schools, normal 
aohools, oollegos and universities la ths state by state 
Inspection and auparTlsion. 

d. UL system of federal aid to districts In the eastern 
part of the state, because of the loss to suoh districts 
arising fron non- taxable Indian lands. 



69 



W h&v« thus fur dlaeoT«r«d certain definite eleownts 
in the d«T«l«f«tent of the schools of OkUahoma vhleh aoeioM 
gre«t pr«nia«B«o vhen one attoapta to form ocbmi ootlmato of tho 
totol VQTth of tho •yotOBu ConooqEuent]^ it nov boooooa 
ROeoooary to diocues each of these in the light of present day 
oritielsBf arrlTing a& a condasion as to whether eertaln 
praotloes are new in sucoeasful operation^ and whether or not 
the original intent or purpose is being realised. To shall 
take yp the discussion of those topics in the order in whicfii 
they are listed in the preoeeding section. 

Ihe Pen&anent r>ohoel Fund. 

Under this topic we shall also disot^ss all other 

Means of support of the sc^hools. The exact status of the 

penMasnt school fund at present smy bo derived from the 

X 
following tables: 

X. z^ands granted or set aside for school purposes* 

eosnoa School, sections I6 ft 56 X, 415, 000 Acres 

State school , sec. X5 & Indeisnity ^^0,000 

State sehool, "Ijow oollego" 1,050,000 

800, 35» areer Co. (ConsolAdatod fund) 40.4d0 

Total 2,&55i'^dO 

2. Amount of Land already sold 1.205.006 

5. ABOunt of Land unsold I,652?^74> 

X. Vllson, R. H.| "sources from which Public school 
Binds are Derived", Belle tin, 191^. 



70 



4« Procsads trom Land sold $9,011, 562,X5 

^* C«.8h oriiat ty congress 5 •000,000. 00 

Th« unsold lands «rs Xsaaod and tHe monoy is loaasd* All procedc^^ 
ars aiiiMKrtlonocl annually. In addition to this appertionmsnt, 
funds lure derived from the following sourees: 

Z. A sia&e %suk. of ^ mill for GOimon sehools. 
(AKOunting in 1^X3 to $140,7:^5.17) 

2, All of the IncOBe Tax, 

5. A Gcunty leiry for cotamon schools. 

4, A district tax, 

5. Hon-reeident tvULtion charges, 

A stateo^nt of all reoeipta for school purposes during the past 
year is as follows: 

XaeaM from eomaon s<Siool lands $624,0^,85 

XB««tte from $5»000,000.00 f*iid (farm loans) £42,646.97 

Z»««as fron 8se, 55, Qf9T county Z5»900.I7 

Zncome from state tax 140,755.17 

XnooMi frcB Znheritaneo tax 9 #3^2.49 

Zaeoae f^om county tax Z2c»,79^«c^$ 

Znaoae ftroa District tCax 5,702,0$2.SZ 

ZnooBO froBi sale of hands 953»57^*57 

Znoeae fron tuition and other soureos $5<^i502.40 

Rental from state school lands «»24.I4g.03 

Total $^,571 •704.29 

There seeas to he no disposition to retain the unsold 
landi on the contrary, the agents of the state Z»and conmission 
are c<mtinually at work selling sehool land, except where there 



71 



18 proq^ttct of oil or gaa. Th« following rooont clipping la 

I 
lnt«roating in thla connection* 

•MUPAHO, Oiaa,^ Jtay 22.«-(Speel«a)-* During tho »•!• of school 
l«ad in j^ro^r^MB her^i,d40 ticroe of land woro dispoaod of by 
Vdoneaday noon, Tuoaday, tho first day of tho salo, 9bO acres 
•f th» school land was rsfusod at ths appraised T^auation hy 
lessees who have preferential rl^^ts in the bidding, and V^dnesA 
day, ZfUK) aeres of land was refused by lesaees. I'he land sold 
brought $1:25,500.00, being $620.00 abotre the tqppralsed -valuation. 
R. S. Wood, agent for the state, conducted the sale and will go 
froa here to Washita county for the purpoue of selling school 
iMtd there." 

assent iaUy two things interest us here. Land refused 
1»y the lessees at the i^praised value is being sold to ethers, 
Mid the land is sold above the sjppraised value. !?his would 
Indicate that the state land departnent is aware of the value 
•f thdd land to the boys and girls of the state. Another 
reference in tlwi ssne publication a few days later indicates 
that there is am association of school land lessees organised, 
Wa» are bringing all possible political influence into play to 
force the ijamedlate sale of sehool lands) the inference being 
that they procure it at their own figure on the plea that they 
have laade it valuable by their laqpt'eveaaents. 

An lauiiedlate sale of all the land appears unwiss 
when we consider the Inevitable rise in valuation that nsust 
ocoMi. On the other hand, the lessees have sene right to be 
heard, 'ihen too, a aaoU aawunt now may be of more real worth 
in encouraging education than a larger amount later to aiaintaln 
a system already established. There is another point to bs 
risiinibered in the fact that this land becesies taxable for school 

Z. Bally Oklah<nian, OlOahoaui City, July 23, I9I4. 



^^ 



purpo««8 Imaedlately after the aaa«, which will lncr«a«« taxabls 
Taluea In thA Tiirlous districts, HowoT«r, under th« praBfint 
1&«, the disposition of this land le ratlwr a oumbersoas process 
and this alone may eerre to preTent any undue hadte« 

A very uignlflcant qusetlon^ always^ In connection 
with a penaanent school fund of any great proper t lone, la the 
effect on locul taxation. In the ^st burets of enthueiaan 
erer the Tarlous land granta, we find sene etataoente to the 
effect that local taxation would be greatly reduced* The flret 
•tate superintendent estimated that the schools co\0.d be run 
for frotty^slx months on the apportlonaent alone. In general| 
hewsTer, we find little if any disposition to depend unduly oa 
the state apportionment. A glance at the aneunt raised frcsi 
the various eourfss during the past four years proves this 

%uite conelusiTtly. 

State •District Receipts. 

Ysar . Apportlonaent . Taxation . other Source^ . 

19x0 I 770,010.50 «4«5^><*40.ZX ♦4,X30,9*^,23 

1911 7*2,5x0.75 3»504,t62.88 3,7a9»*5l.S9 

1912 970,520.21 4,98&,576»53 4>, 29^^,45 5. 49 
19X5 1,070,447.55 5,702,052.61 2,^22,063.07 
Ths cdUBB "other soiirces* is largely made up from the sals of 
bonds which of course fall back on the district for settlsaent. 
eaansqiuently. In estimating ti» effect of the stats apportion"* 
Mttt en local Interest, we feel fairly well justified in ^m* 
paring column I with the sua of columns 2. and 3. Rftu^iXy this 
would place i,he per cent of the total school expenditure con* 

1. Third J.lonnlal lieport, Dept. of Muc., p lb. 

2. Wilson, B. H., "Progress of our schools, I9I3, P 5* 



7i 



trl1>utod l>y tiiA stAt* at from tan to tiftmttn p«r ««nt. 

It is •▼•& * matter of mm* conypXalnt oa th« part 
of tho pooplo tliat eitl«« of tim fkt»t class am limitod to 
a fiTS xalU layy, and it is tiioufltkit tliat tlois liiait will !>• 
romovod soon* In passing ihrou^ ths stats mui is isiprssssd 
with the ssdsndid scHool buildings sxsetsd in STsry tUIs^ 
sr city. £h« liuildings wero ersctod vith monsy obtainod fron 
ths sals of bonds, and %b» district will always nsod to levy a 
sufficient tax to lesep up the interest en these bonds, In 
addition to maintaining the sohAol jsore or less dentanded by 
their physical equijaient* 

Vs conclude then that the disposition nade of the 
stats school funds does not react on loeal intersst in ediieation 
at least not to the extant of interfering in any mtiy with tJam 
inclination of the people to tax theosslyss directly for the 
generous support of the public schools* 

State, County and ristrict Organiaution* 
Withs the usual or,i^aniisation of state and county 
superintendents elected by the people, we of oovxrse expect to 
find unfortunate political interference with the professional 
conduct of the schools • Conditions in Oklahoma are probably no 
iopr oveuent over thoee of tiny other state in i;his particular* 
Ths Tery luw prohibiting a county superintendent from acting in 
the capacity of conductor of the tetkchera* institute in his 
own or eny other county, uolees he secures a conductor's 
certificate based on qualifications, would indicats that it 



74 



was ttzpected thfi county auperlnt indent would be acre politio&l 
%hMi prttf«iialon«l. In the period 9t 9)rgifli«AU«n» hovercr, 
tli«»« county super la kittuauuis h»r* don* a treHWidoua anount of 
good work. Vhen we condider that the 41 euutdm oountlee all 
needed to be dlrided Into districts ianediately following 
statehood, we con <ippr«cla.te the great amount of work to l>e 
done. <rust how well thle has been done it la still too early 
i;o oatimato. As the general moTement to improve rural con- 
ditions proceeds, bhie will b« loade aore or less clear. 

The city districts, being independent| at once forged 
ahead and we find city systeais on the whele in advanee of those 
ef utiny o%der coBiJiunii.ies« I'hu excise boiurd, preTiously referrec^ 
to, is a cause of c«ntinual «unxiety en the part of city hoards. 
!Fhe iichooli budget and levy au»t cone before this board for 
final Jud^aent. Under i;he law «h«y have the right to adjust 
the levy to sMst coaditionsi to raise or lower the levy ef 
the board of education as they may see fit. How it na;y be 
beat &o have sobm cheek on the city board of educaiiion, but 
it is felt %hat the city board is nevertheless best qualified 
to Judge as to che naounts necessary for lihe proper juaintainanee 
of ^1^ schools, and lAtould have the power to auOce the neeessary 
levies. During the stoner of I9Z3 tremendous pressttre was 
brought to bear on the excise board of OkLahflnsa county to out 
the estloate of the Oldahoma City board ef education at least 
#25,000.00 without way particular reference to the budget. 
Sinee the monthly pu^roll of the city district averages about 
|2d,000.00, this would simply have meant an eig^t month's school 
if the cut had been made. 



75 



Undttr thtt n«w school cod« tlio nutaber of memlMrs of 
city boards i» bolng dooroaaod. C4ti«s ••talillahinjE th« 
oOHoisslon fora of e^rernxaoat, mjto itJiAe reducing nu»tab«r«ialp on 
those boiArda. Thin tondoxioy lo f&voraiao to a uoro direet aad 
bualnoso-lUce admlaletration of school affairs. 

I'ho Stsito Board of Edueatloa, 
Tho bill^ approTOd March 0, I9XX« whleh hrou^t tho 
i^roson% s^ato board of education Into oxlstoneOi nu«.do It tho 
logal succossor to feurtoon TarloiuB boards In th« stato, and 
def Inod Its dutlos as follows: 

(a) The gonoral supervision of the schools of the stats. 

(b) ¥o fonsulats and adopt eoursss of study for %he eooimon 
schools and county normal Institutes, and arrange courses of 
study and adept text books for use in &he higher educational 
tastltutlens of biis state, 

<e) So formul&te rules and regulations gerernlng the 
issuance of all certificates to teach In the publle schools 
of this stats. 

(d) To prepare (|t est Ions for the examination of applicants 
for county and city certificates to teach in the public schools 
of the stats. 

(e) Xo exanlne applicants for state certiflcatea to teach 
in the public achools of i.ne state, and lor conductors' and 
inatruotors* cartlfloates to teach in the county nonsal 

ins tl tubes. 

(f> Xe prepare examination questions for graduates from 
the eighth grade of the public schools. 



76 



(g) To clafialfy th« public aclioole of the tttute and 
properly accredit them to the higher educutiorud institutions 
of the etute, 

(h( To fomvaute &nd adopt courueb of ^tud^'- for stats 
pupiXs* rending circles ajid for etate teachers' reading circles, 
and to prepare questions fur the iscuaace of reading circle 
certificates, 

(i) The state hoard of education shall naJ^e a biennial 
report to the governor and the legislature , setting forth ths 
work of the board and the condition of the schools of the state. 
The hoard shall also prepare and submit to the governor thirty 
days b«tfore the convening of each rsijular t>ee&ion of whe 
leglttlaturc a budget estlsiatinf; tht^ necessary appropriations 
for iiach of the institutions under their sianagement and control. 

(j) (A statement of relation toward private commercial 
schools— seeking to extend stats co-operation to, and super* 
vision over such schools.) 

One is at once iiopressed with the radical step in 
the direction of centrali^i^ation of auuhsrity and supervision 
in the creation of thia board. The bill was supported by 
practically everyone| politicians and professional men both 
arguin/<; for it. The career of this board, thtmgji short, has 
been ciMckered, but dynamic. Their grsateat difficiatles 
have arisen through differences with the governor regarding 
the appointments and removals in the atate schools, and la 
the adoption of text books. The first called for an invsstiga* 
tion oonduci^ed by the governor, and the second resulted in the 



11 



»tt«Bptddl r«iaoTal «f obrtaln meal}0ri» from th« \>«ur<i and iippolnt* 
a«nt of ot.ix«»r«, M.nA ulilucituly In 1.I10 cLeX^ylog of the at£i.t« 
adoption for two >oiir». A i»yziop«lt of ilio hiaior^ ol uui.^ 
Adoption follows. 

I'ho roguXitxl^ 4[Vi^point8d l;o«ird mul July 2<>, 1^12 to 
BU*k« the adoption, Shu eovornor conaldorc^a t;na (>la« Inoppurtun* 
and isaaod an ordar at Si: 00 A. M« rmovias throa moiabors. 
This M&e ftsrrod on tho zattobera about half an xiour later, but 
in i.aa mauatloo an Miaj^xxaxi iiii>.a vo«««a« 2ho ouitir wiurtto ousmbara 
ro tired voluntarily, though th« govornor aiakod aoaa to ratain 
their plotoaa* Xho t^OTtixnor then called ^he saimte In oxtra 
aaaalon to coufiria hia appolntaont. Xhuy reiruaed tu cunflzm 
any of the former ho<axd but agreed to new appolnteea which the 
governor preaentod* The new board at tiheir firat meeting 
r«aijec4.ad %ha "X^I^i adf^tion" und advertieed far new bids, 
Vheeler <k COapauoy for the book ooa^anioii, C4>krried bhe matter to 
the auprexoe court in an attauy^t to enforce the contracts of 
the old board which oho governor, uf cour&ie, had ref vised to 
aii^. While who utatter was pending, i^he governor left the 
state for a few hours, during which tlste the lieutenant 
governor signed &he contracts of the book cocapanies, Governor 
Cruce returned hastily and eondmuied the action of the lieu- 
tenant governor. Ihe book ccoipanies now brou^^t euit in the 
district cokurt to enforce their contracts and were upheld. 
In an appeal before the supr«iu» court the new "board was once 
more suswained and proceeded to lay plans for the new adoption. 

I. Daily Oklehoaan, Okla. City, Jan. 4, I9I4. 



78 



Tha new adoption was eoc^letod In Ha^^, I9t4, and will go Into 
effect August I, IvI*. 

Now it ahould be apparent to such as argue ae^lnst 
a central l!)oard because of the text book Irregular Itiea, that 
the 014 text book congnlsslon wotdd be subject to the sanie 
errors. It Is beyond doubt a li^reat advantage to the public to 
be able to fix. responsibility on & sln^e board of ssTen^ he&dttA 
by the state superintendent, ruther than on a collection of 
fourteen boards as before. It la pretty generally believed 
that the state board of agriculture has no particular reauon 
for existence and th&t the agricultural schools should also 
be under the control of the general board, 

T?e that as it may, there Is certainly plenty of 
Justification for tho establisiiment of such a board la the 
const ructlve work It has done, and but for the time consumed 
In the needless prolongation of the text book fight this wo\a.d 
be all the nore auparent. fhere before &h«re waa wauteful 
seiipetltion between state instututlona, a considerable spirit 
of co-operation haa developed, ihare has been a serious attei^pt 
aade to determine the place of each institution in the entire 
BOheme. Great advance has been made In the classifying and 
accrediting of the various hl^ schools and In raising the 
standards of teachers. 

The authority of this board Is almost Absolute. If 
we as present day educators and administrators are correct In 
advocating centralisation of powers at all, Oklahoxsa has a good 
law. However I feel that the nembers of such a board sl.ould 



79 



iiMf oxc«ptlonally high quallfioatlans. I'hs law provides that 
at Ittaat two of th« kIz fl^ppointsd aeato«ra shall b« practieal 
school asni aalds tr<m that tha goreraor Is fros to appoint 
«li«M hs aay* Ths idea sssas to proYall that at least half of 
thiS board shall consist of succosaful business men* Uany of the 
difficulties of ^he beard have been due to the Mibmma^m of that 
high prof esslonaO. Bt<»ndard, which would come with a sMmbershly 
Whose qualifications were entimly in itoaplng with Its resp«uil* 
bllltles« The weakness Is pretty liable uo be In the character 
of the board and not In the Idea of centralisation of power* 

Th« State Schools. 
In the eBttil3ll6linenw and raainoaxiiauce of ius visenty* 
five t}tate ins ti ^utionst Oklahoma lias one of its largest problaas 
Krery etate must take eaxe of itu unfortunates, the dauf, the 
blind, the ori>hewia, «he feeble jaindoa tma one iacorrigibies, 
Elraliiirly, evory state feels justified in tsaintainlAg a 
uniTdrsitVy an agricultural college and uach facilities as «i^ 
be necessary for the training of teasers. But in the foimdlng 
of six normttl schools, aix diatrict Si^ricultural sdiools, two 
college preparatory achoola and an industrial collefw for girls, 
the legislature faces the i>rubleffi of making expianaiiona zo the 
tax-paylns public at each biennial session. We noted that 
throe norraal schools were establlahed by the territory of 
OklahOBxai the other three wure e&tablisjaed on xiia eastern side 
of the state in an atteo^t to ei^ualiae facilities in all 
sections, However it is interesting to recall that the Oklahona 
nonaals did not supply the need when 2dOO new districts were 
•rgaaised in I^oU. 7eachers oaae from every state In the union 



60 



in r««]^n»« &o th* aoitt m-gent cuilla tt«nt out through th« ii^iblle 
pr«SB. At present aost of the best teachers In Oklahoma ewe 
litUo or noiiilng to the eiMite noinnals. It le also true that 
the norzoal schools of the ne laboring states would gladly huve 
trained the Oklahema teaohers for a few years longer, until It 
had been determined Jjuat what the need of the new state wotad 
be. £he question of proximity is of Utile importanee where 
traniqKKrtation facilities are good. 

S*vurther, wlxaterer need there may hare been for pre- 
paratory schools a few ^esrs ago, there should be none now 
when there is a qplendld high school in ov^ry comcaunity. There 
is no reason why every oeamunity tixculd net be eaq^ected to 
provide secondary education without state aid« The towns in 
whidh the nonoMle and preparatory schools are located do not 
support high schools bpt send their children to the state 
sttheol for their secondary education. Naturally these 
leealities bitterly oppose any morttnent to cut down the number 
•f state schools. 

In i.he fakce of the enwrmous appropriations asked for 
at the last legislative session, there was a very determined 
effort to eliminate certain state schools. It is singular that 
the arguments in favor of maintaining all of the schools were 
exeeedinkly weak, and yet none were eliminated. Uembers simply 
took a personal attitude of defense regarding the sdhool located 
in their particular representative districts and agreed to 
•taad by each ox,ixer in maintaining them all. The real problem 
Of werkin]g( out the b«Bt solution for the state as a whole was 



81 



««aro«ly touchvd in tte imola dlsouMlon. It is trulp un« 
fortunattt when the question of properly loaintaininK the great 
•dMMational inatitutions of a eeamenwealth ie hopeleaely en- 
tangled with the aspirationa of eben^ politieiana* 

On the other hand» howerer, thera aaeaa to lie a 
vonderfia inerease in the attandanoe at theae sohoola, aore 
jHuPtieularly the nomala and the university, poll owing is the 
enrolloent for the past year and at the present suanar session 
la aa«di of the noraaxs and the two preparatory schools. The 
mnMsr work is divided into tw« ooursesi a short four weeks 
eoiu*se allowing no cr odit, and a ten weeks course leading to 
a diploiaa« We will indicate the nunbers enrolled in each of 

th«se courses also, 

I g^^a^ S"a«er |p Week* 4 Wsejy 
ail»ol . Year , session , course . Coursa . 

Bteoad X,0I2 1560 I4I0 150 

jarm 527 4^ 451 150 

AAa 562 6za 5x5 ZO3 

Tahlequah 295 7ad 457 252 

Vaathsrford 265 401 351 50 
Durant 2^7 50^ 457 79 

Tonkawa Prep. Sch. 507 2db 241 45 
a«PS«ore,,, _^i J[2Z _2i J^ 
Total ^554 4500 5745 695 

It will he seen that most of the suieaaier students are doing 
credit work and aiming tomurd diplomas. Vhen we consider that 
a large ausOjer of thess are school teachers at work all oyer the 
ifcatSf such a report is enooxuraglng. 

I. Reported hy stata supt. Daily Oklahenaai June d, 14 



82 



In th.« proc»»8 of elimination of stato inBtitutions 
thore would be great vaate, even if such a thing were poeei'ble 
fTMi tine political sUunilpoint* so, if aueh a plan eeetaa 
lsip08sit)le or InadTiaable, it were well to congpel these Tarioue 
aeheols to glye the l>e8t poasible eerrioe to the state. In ny 
opinion the heat way to accoiQplieh this la to make certain 
institutiontt reqponaihle for certain seotiona, and eliminate 
eoopetition hy confining them strictly to their own localities. 
Yith the eqiality as regards facilities and equij^ent, which 
is possihle under the strong central scheme such as w» haTS, 
such a plan should be feasible. 

Then, finally, if we were to actually cQen(pare ths 
appropriations made 1^ a single session of the legislature 
for school purposes with appropriations made for other purposes, 
perhaps the amounts voxCLd not seem so large. The public must 
grow more and mir« accustomed to voting large mvmm for educa* 
tion, for the flnansial reia>onsibilitles of public education 
will undoubtedly grow greater instead of less. 

Compulsory Atteadance. 
She degree to which universal attendance is attained 
ia a system is eeottoaly «aii»loyed as a measure for the general 
efficiency of that systm* She western conception of the 
uaiTorsal extension of education not only places a school within 
rsa^ of STsry child, but enforces attendance on that school* 
Cl«ai»ula» ry attendance laws are waonen to all states, but in 
few are they really effectiire. A penalty aust be attaehed 
before a law of this kind may have aay real merit. In this 



65 



r«spect the Choctaw Indians had a law which atamad to fit thair 
situation admirahly,* a fine of ton cants per day for each 
unexcused ahaanea. There ia a fine for yiolation of the 
present state law, which As we ha-re seen requires six months 
attandanea for all pupils between the ages of eij^t and sixteenj 
but I feel that Oklshena has one feature which is more effectiTS 
than a rigid penalty, !rhls feature is discovered in the 
willingness of the state to actually pay the price of uniTersal 
education if necessary. In the case of a widowed mother, who 
is dependant on the earnings of a boy to support herself andl 
ysimger children, no exception to the application of the com- 
piilsory law is made in the ease of this boy. Then there is but 
on* thing that in Justice oan be done and that is to pay the 
^ey a scholarship approximately equal to his earning capacity, 
and this the state does, such cases are rare it is true. In 
four years of su^errlsory worlc in the state I hare only found 
it neeessary to call for the application of this law once, but 
at that time the law was entirely adequate to the situation. 
X think the humanitarian element in the law is worth much more 
than it ever costs in making the \iihole requirement preiiiy 
generally effectiTO. 

Statistics, supplied by the state superintendent. 
Showing the enumeration, enrollnusni., average daily aiiiendanoe 
and their respectire per cents for the past four years are 
listed in the following table,. • 



84 

I 

Year . Enumoratlon . Bnr oiled . Aytt. Att , i Enroll , f- Att. 
I9I0 5l5,47ti 415,116 230,546 62.4 50.9 
mi J>i9,058 443,227 200,016 62.2 $8.7 

1912 550,616 43S,90I 274,t>c>4 7d.S 62.3 

1913 541,82b 469,809 264,186 86.7 60.5 
It will !)• »een that there is a gratifying incroane 

in both the per cent of snrolliacnt and the per cent of attend* 
ance in the past four years, and this In spite of the fact that 
the time of attendance was increa&ed frc^ three to six months 
per year, 

Cenaolidated Schools. 

Ve have reviewed in a genaral way the legislation 
affecting the Joining and consolidatiog of diatriets. At first 
the laws were merely pertaieaivei that is, all le^^al diffieiaties 
Which miitht hinder a rural cMssunity fr«a foraimg a graded or 
consolidated sehool were cleared away. However it appears that 
aoro is necesaary if the rural districts are ever to take this 
step, and so the ay stem of stato aid hmm been introdueed, which 
wo have outllaed. £he support for these schools will he 
yomaaontly available because it is based on a separate land 
grant. 

She state board of education has been very active in 
urging consolidation in rural cooonunities, and has publieiaed a 
very interesting and instructive bulletin on thu subject, 
Thie bulletin explains Just what steps are necessary to 

Z« Wilsoa, H. H., Progress of Our sehoola", I9I3, 9 7 

2. Rural school consolidation, I9II. 



85 



consolldiite, and under what conditions tho state fund lb avail- 
aisle. It also glT«a aceounts of auoh bchools uuccoBsfully 
conducted In Oklaboaa and other sLatas. 

The etate superintendent reports the present progress 

1. 

of consolidation in the &. u follows: 

consolidated schools in Ojaahona 97 

Schools which hare recelred state aid 41 

Anount paid consolidated schools hy state 437»dt)1.50 
consolidated schools applying for aid I? 

7)istriGt8 considering consolidation 20 

The consolidated idea is pretty generally opposed hy farmer &• 
'For this reason a county superintendent, who aust depend on 
the farmer* s vote, is often unable to advocate tliis even thoxigh 
he riiould desire to. Ohviouely zhis is che opportuni%:y' for the 
state board to push the matter for the whole state, throu^ 
the stimulation afforded hy state aid. This seems to be the 
polley in Oklahoma. 

Unificatioa, Standardization and Classification. 

The shortcomings of the unified system of text boolcs 
have been pretty definitely shown in the adoption troubles of 
tne past. Moreover we often have cause to regret some of the 
adoptions which are loade, and which we are forced to make ths 
most of for five years. T^ut I still feel that these are abuses 
of an oinorwise good i^stsa* Svirely uhere is a oremenaous 
opportunity for good where a text book adoption Is made by 

I, Wilson, R. K. , "TProgross of Our schools", p 4, 



86 



trained sp»elAliata, mlna ii&y only th« good of tho 1>oyt and 

girls of tho Ota to at hoart. Tho >08t radloal advooatoo of 

IndiTidualiotlo odueation would hardly wloh to oonto^M^to a 

•oixomo of training for an en tiro ooranonwealth whtiro eoonoa 

•taadardo wore not «Diployed, 

Xa addition to the unified text l900ko, ^oro is a 

«poeial «aployoe in the office of the st&to ouporintendent, tiut 

school inifiector, who glTOs his entire tiae to inspection and 

olassl float ion of sohools, partioulttrly high schools. It la 

well known that high schools vury greatly, largely he cause of 

the free rein giren the indopondent distriets. Here again an 

official from the state office can he of greater sorTice than 

the ordinary county superintendent. High school statistics 

have been v^ry oteagre iip to the past «;wo years, hu% tnt^re are 

enexi^ to diow a Tory rupid growth and also an advanee in stan* 

Z 
dards. Snrollment increased froa l6,000 in I9I5, to 2^,000 la 

I9I4i the nUBher of graduates increased frcm lOiiO to 2000 la 

the same time. The nutaher of high schools accredited with the 

state unirerslty incroaaed from i7 in I9I2, to d5 in I913, to 

125 in 191^* A corresponding increase in the nuzober of hi^ 

schools affiliated with the North Central Association is 

noticeable. In I9II there were 2, in I9I2, 4i in I913 14 and 

ax present 25. Since it is well known that the N.C.A. in not 

uri^ng it.s standards on high schools orer the country, this 

increase ean be pretty largely attributed to the ;?sneral state 

policy of raising standards. 

X. Wilson, H. H. , "Progress of our Fchools", p 9. 



a? 



A plan of ln«stliiiabl« TaXue to cha rural schools Is 
tits ualfisd eourss of study for ths stats. Rural tsaohsrs 
ars ths mast lasxperlaoosd and nssd sTsry posslbls aid. Ths 
unified couras is about ths only ttaMg tlmt could possibly 
opsrats toward luilty of effort In the various rural schools. 

In. general too, the efforts of the state board to 
standardise and classify all state institutions, are having 
a very good effect ovor the state ut large, 'ihe centralisation 
of authority found in this board wurlcs directly toward this end. 

Tsdersl Aid. 

7he reasons for governiaent aid in such sections as 
hsTS large areas of non-taxable Indian lands, have been fully 
discussed. Here ths natter only Interests us as a possible 
Indication that an enlargement of federal authority over eduea* 
tlon and a possible greater ct^ntrallsatlon of authority «m In 
progress. I feel that, just as ths stats establisiies a systsn 
of aid where local ffleaas fail, so the i^overnnent should, even 
to a larger extent than before, watch closely the nore general 
Bovements of education in the Idiole couni^ry and be rectdy to aid 
with appropriations any wortliy movesient which cannot be 
supported by the svate. 

Ihs govemxaent, larj:^ely because of precedent, has nst 
done nearljr enough for eatitern OkXuhoBm in i*he past >eti^rs. 
Througn wie laxness of our federal authority and laws, whites 
were allowed to go into the Indian Urritory and were then left 
without a pos&iblilty of providing education for many ^sairs. 
xhen it must be rsmembered that all eaucabion in this country 



as 



wan conducted or oncouragod through the bureau of Indian affairs 
and was not connected In any way with the bureau of education. 
It is to bo hoped i.hat the precedent of federal aid eetabliahed 
in eastern Oklahoma, may be inArunental in bringing about the 
organisation of an efficient department of education at 
Wairiiinglton. 

such then, are the eleisants we have dlscoTered in 
the educational a/atem of Oklalioioa, which have developed 
through the yeara, and about which the entire state polley 9t 
education aeeiui to be grouped. 



89 



Conclueion , 

In th« foregoing discussion of the Tarioua aXementa 
aaking up the school system of OiaakOMki w« havs in nearly 
STtxy case found it pos8it>le to decide in favor of the estal)* 
lislied system, There are, of course, some ninor points we 
Bhoiad not approye of, hut we have generally found that these 
were heing corrected through ocrae process of re-orir-aniaation. 

If we were to ask Just what things a state should 
give most attention to in the establishiaent of a systea of 
schools, we should probably list the following: 

1, support, 

2, Administration. 

5. Tho intproveaent of teachers, 
4, The curriculum, 
AS regards the first, we have noted the large penzuuient fund^ 
which, however, does not seem to discourage the people in voting 
large araounts for school purposes. 

In administration, the proper machinery has been 
provided nHX through Oklaliosaa^s history, and the latest stop 
in the establislxaent of the An^e, powerfxa state board, has 
plaeoA the system among bxie xaoat, progressive. 

If wo oould judge the attention to the training of 
to&ohoro toy ^o number of noxmml schools, all wovdd bo well, 
perhaps the ostablishment of the institution is all wo shoul4 
reasonably e3g[>oct of a state* That our teadiing force needs 



90 



d«ald«d lisproTwwat is a fikct too pat«nt to dioeuoo, but tho 
faciXltioo with which to aoooapllMh this laproroaont aro uXr^mdj 
<|uito Xargoly proTided. 

In tho osbabllahmsnt of a ourriculum to roally aoot 
tfao neods of tho atato wo find horo, as ororywhoro, our groatoet 
noed. TO this ond tho unification of text booko and couroo of 
study contribute largely, but do not go i.he wholo wsy. Tho 
now eurriculvtt aust have a aoro direct bearing on the industries 
of tho state, and thoso are hardly yet fully determined. 

A larger problea, perhaps, than any thus far consider* 
od ia in all probability the social one* WO hare ooiusentod on 
the fact that the population of Oklahosia ia made up from all 
statoa in the Union. This fact pxoaents littlo that lb 
ultimately difficult to adjuet because an Aiaerlcan le pretty 
largely an Aa&rican wherever you find hia« However Oklahwa is 
atteiQpting a uy5l.om of education, which conteoplates on tho ons 
hand the amalgamation of tho Indian through cosmon uchool 
facilities, and on t,h» ouhor 'who segregai^ion of che negro 
through uoiiiarate schools, .fhss.o uovewonts have alrcuo^ shown 
a degree of success which is beyond quoation. 

x'he cost of an> b>iitctm la 'vO be ueaeurud ultimately 
by ihe resulting cii*xjiienarUp. Oklahoma is etill too ^oung to 
bs BSasured by this swandardi buw muvu uxj.u vj.me for such Jud|E* 
BMut comes, I believe fii^aly khckt wh<s vduca^iunal syottim of 
OJaaheswk will stand ohe kost, idv&n whou^^ my belief mubt now 
rest prevb^ largtexy uxi ^xm p^.u^wnw uxuiat^iitki u.ud tendencies to 
be observed. 



91 



BlToliography . 

Primary Sources: 

ABKAHSAS, A Dlgoat Of the Statutes of, 1>y W. W. ICanfifield. 
Published by authority of the General Asaemhly, Little Rock,l884 

CHBBOKSB NATION » Compiled Laws of. Paeaed during the years 
1659*1867. Authorised by act of National council approved 
NOV. 12, Itibt*. Missouri Democrat Print, St, Louis, iBbS, 

CHEROKEE NATION, Constitution and Laws of. Authorized by 
act of National council approved Nov. 19, I674, Compiled by 
lis P. Boudlnot, S. H. Ross and Joseph A. Scales. St. LouAi, I&75 

CICSHOKES NATION, Compiled Laws of. Authorized by act of 
National council approved Nov. 19 > I6d0. Compiled by Capt. 
John L. Adair, national Advocate Print, Tahlequah, Indian 
Territory, liiSi, 

CKIEOXSS NATION, Constitution and Laws of. Authorized by 
act of National Council approved Nov. 26, 1592. compiled by 
capt. John L. Adair. The Foley R»y Printing Co., Parsons, 
Kansas, 1093. 

CHOCTAW NATION, I,aws of. Sessions of 1676-1877. V, J. 
Hemby, Printer, Atoka, Choctaw Nation, I676. 

CHOCTAW NATION, Laws of. Session of I883. Published by 
authority of the Nation, sedalia, L^issourl, 1883. 

UUSKOGSE NATION, Const Itutlon and Laws of. Published by 
authority of National council. St Louis, I88O. 



92 



MUSKOGBB HATION, Constitution and Laws of, a» compiled and 
codified toy A. P. McKellop, under act of Oct. 15, I892. 
V, C. Hutbard, Printer. iJuskogee, Indian Territory, Ifl93. 

OKLAHOMA, The Complied Laws of, l>y Henry a. Snyder. 
Publlehed by authority of act approred March ii?, I909. Kunsaa 
City, Mlesourl, I909. 

OKLAHOILA, Laws of. Acts of the Extraordinaxy seeaion of 
the second Lei^lel^ure. Howard Parker, State Printer . Guthile 
Oklahoma, April, I9IO. 

0KLAH01£A, Laws of. Acta of the Bztraottdlnary and Regular 
sessions of the Third Legislature, convening at Oklahona City, 
Howard Parker, state Reporter, Guthrie, June I9II. 

OKLAHO}M, Laws of. Acts of the Regular and Extraordinary 
sessions of the Pourth Legislature, convening at Oklahoma City, 
Jan. 7, and March. I8, 1913. Howard Parker, August, I913, 

REPORTS, United States Indian Agents, 1840 to present. 

Superintendent of Indism Schools, as contained in 
the reports of the United States Indian Inqp ector for the Indian 
Territory, In the 500x0 I899, I905, 190? and I908. 

The Commltisloner to the Five Civilized Trihes 
to the secretary of the Interior, I9II, I9I2 and I9I5. 

The State Superintendent of Puhllo Instruction, 
Biennial Report, Guthrie, Oklahoma, I9I0. 



93 



Seoond&ry soiirces: 

ABSL, AtlHA 11. "The History of Xronts Basultlng In Indian 
consolidation Wast of the JTlsslsBlppi," Annual report of the 
American History Assoolatlon, I906, Vol, I« 

BOARD 07 SDUCATIOK, State of Oklahoma. Bulletins. 
Sural school Coneolldation, I9II/ 
Outline of Bequlreoents for co^aon Schools, 19II. 
Oklahoma High School Manual, I911, 

BUREAU OP AMERICAN BTTINOLOOY, Handbook of Aaerlcim 
Indians, Part I, A. to M« 

MCCOY, ISAAC. "History of Baptist Indian Missions", 
P. porce, Washington, 1939. 

MCCOY, ISAAC. "The Annual Register of Indian Affairs 
Vithin the Indian Territory", Puhlished in I837, hy Isaac McCoy, 
Shavanoe Baptist Mission House, Indian Territory, J, 0. Pratt, 
Printer. Contained in U, S, Indian Documents Vol. Ill, No. J. 

MUBROW, J, S. "The Indian's Bide", Atoka, 1913. 

OKLAHOMA RED BOOK, Conpiled by W, B. Richards, Corporation 
Record Clerk, unther the 0i:^erTision of Penjajnin P. Harrison, 
secretary of state. Two voluoes. Tulsa, I912. 

PROCEEDINGS, of the Seventh Annual IJeeting of the Lake 
Mohonk conference of friends to the Indian; Lake Mohonk, 
Hew Yor>, 1889. 

SlKtPT, saetcher Harper. "Public Permanent common School 
Tunds in the United States." Henry Holt & Co., I9II. 



94 



WILSON, R. H. ■Progress of Education in Oklahoma since 
l8d9"y Oklahoma School Herald, Oklahoma City, May and Sune 
1912. 

WILSON, R. H. •Pror.ress of our Schools", Outhrio, I9I3. 

WILSON, B, K. •sources fr<aa which the Puhlic School 
Funds are i>erived». State Office, I9I4, 




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